The primary source above is a Japanese ink painting by the Japanese painter Hanabusa Itchô. When Itchô painted this painting it was not for an intended audience. However, this painting is incredibly useful to historians as they can see how children were treated in Shogunate Japan. Hanabusa Itchô made this ink painting for his own enjoyment as he painted it in his own miscellany sketchbook. This primary source was painted in the 18th century in the Tokugawa period. This painting is definitely a primary source as it was made at the time of Shogunate Japan. The source is showing how children were treated in the Tokugawa period. Itchô’s painting is showing a childhood experience common to both sexes: watching a puppet show. The kids in this painting look extremely happy and excited. From this painting historians can make reasonable and logical assumptions on how kids were treated in the Tokugawa period. Some of these assumptions would be that the gate in the background of the source may depict a wealthy merchant’s home and that the figures in the house that is connected to the gate are upper-class girls who were not allowed to play on the streets and see the puppet show. A historian investigating this period would note from this painting that children played games, watched puppet shows and had a particularly good childhood. Children in the time period were expected to do chores or learn the family trade in the manner of an apprentice but from this ink painting by Itchô you can see that they still had time for some fun. Hanabusa Itchô makes the children playing outside posture to look as if they are eager and enthusiastic. The upper-class girls in the house figures are more hidden and don’t stand out as much as the children on the street. This is because Itchô has made it clear that not all the kids in Shogunate Japan had as exciting and happy lives as others. Historians would see that one child has a long belt (obi) usually worn by girls. This child has hair. Some children are bald (may minimise lice), which was a fashion that the Japanese had copied from China. The children on the streets wouldn’t have been treated bad as the puppeteers are being nice to them by putting on a puppet show. This ink painting perfectly depicts how children were treated in Shogunate Japan and would be useful to historians studying the Tokugawa period.