Background
One of the better known versions of this story (in addition to an early illustrated book) was the play Shôutsushi asagao nikki ("Recreating the true diary of morning glory" by Chikamatsu Tokusô in 1812) and its various adaptations over the next few decades. The tale features the love between Miyagi Asojirô and Akizuki Miyuki, daughter of a wealthy samurai, who first meet while enjoying an outing in pleasure boats on the Uji River, a popular location for hunting fireflies. They are immediately smitten with one another and exchange vows, but afterwards a misunderstanding leads Miyuki to believe that her father will force her to marry someone else. Unknown to her, it is actually Asojirô using an alternate name. To keep her pledge to Asojirô, she runs away and assumes the name Asagao ("Morning Glory," a reminder of a poem Asojirô had written for her). After months pass, Miyuki loses her sight from endless grieving, barely supporting herself by playing the koto (a horizontal harp). Coincidentally, Asojirô then discovers her at an inn, but he cannot remain, as he must quickly depart on business for his lord. He leaves medicine to treat her blindness, but it is only after her near suicide over separating once again from Asojirô that Miyuki takes the palliative and restores her sight.
Design
Asojirô stands before a bridge spanning the Uji river as fireflies flit about him under a crepuscular sky. He holds a paper lantern (andon) inscribed with characters reading Tsûen, probably that of a local teahouse. The landscape is inspired by Maruyama-Shijô painting styles. Two hand-stamped seals appear below the signature: (R) the block-cutter imprint of the celebrated Kasuke (it reads, in part, surimono hangishi ("surimono woodblock master" — see illustration at right), and (L) the artist's seal, reading Fumoto no yuki ("Snow on the foothills").
The poem was composed by the actor Rikan, who appears to be comparing his theatrical skills with the wonders of nature: Futsutsu kana / ware hazukashiki / hotaru kana (Fireflies! / I am ashamed / Like an ignorant rustic!).
This is an early surimono-style edition with the poem and block cutter seal. Variants exist with similarly colored as well as more darkly printed landscapes. A later commercial edition was issued by the publishers Honsei/Kawaji in a joint production; these have the publishers' seal, omit the poem, and display a few color block differences from the earlier editions. As is sometimes encountered in ukiyo-e, we can see, throughout the background, evidence of the pattern of rubbing the print from the back with the baren ("succession sheath," i.e., circular rubbing pad).
References: IKBYS-II: no. 285; IKB-I, no. 3-62; DSH, p. 60; NKE, p. 603
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