The motif of plovers (chidori), flying in a long row over the waves, or looking for food where the sea leaves a line of foam on the sand, has often inspired Japanese artists. This bird is an auspicious symbol associated with longevity because its cry, “chiyo, ” is a homonym for “one thousand generations.” The association of chidori with long life goes back as far as the early 10th century, appearing in the poetry anthology Kokinwakashū, and became a popular motif in various media such as ceramics, textiles, lacquer, and metalwork.
![Fish Trap, Waves, Rocks [one of a pair], Suzuki Kiitsu, first half 19th century](https://img.artsmia.org/web_objects_cache/118000/200/80/118282/clark_20151023007070_800.jpg)
![Mountains [center from the triptych Three Evening Scenes], Suzuki Kiitsu, first half 19th century](https://img.artsmia.org/web_objects_cache/118000/200/10/118210/clark_20151023007076_crop_800.jpg)
