the scene depicted on the fan is of two male "bugaku" dancers in full ceremonial costume, who appear to be performing a dance in lock-step with no audience in evidence. "bugaku", made up of the characters for 'dance' (舞-bu) and 'music' or 'entertainment' (楽-gaku), joined japanese culture from china, korea, india and southeast asia in the late 8th century, as a form of dance performed at the imperial court, as well as at temples and shrines. dancers assume stylized hand, arm and foot poses accompanied by drumming and the world's oldest surviving orchestral music, "gagaku". "bugaku" is often performed by dancers wearing masks to represent fictional characters, though not in kunisada's print. there are four "bugaku" genres: civil, warrior, children's, and running dances. the figures here appear to be performing the latter.