Print of the actor Danjuro VII portraying Seigen from Sakurahime Azuma bunsho (The Cherry Blossom Princess of Edo), by Kunisada

Here three genres of woodblock prints are combined. First this is an actor print, memorializing Danjuro VII in one of his most famous roles. The facial expression here is a Kabuki "mie." Second, it is a ghost print, with all the conventions of Edo period ghosts: plain robes, pale bluish face, limp hands, semi-transparent. Note that the hands are crossed in a esoteric Buddhist "mudra" (secret hand gesture) appropriate for a print of a dead actor. Last, the artist alludes to the genre of poet portraits by having a poem by Ariwara no Narihira (a famous 9th century poet) appear in the upper right. The poem is as follows:

In the context of the Kabuki play, Narihira's generalized lament about the evanescence of cherry blossoms is transformed into a specific lament by Seigen about his obsession with Sakurahime (Cherry Blossom Princess).