Gathering of Namazu at a Hot-Water Cure Resort 湯治場にて鯰寄合, Honda Kinkichirô, 1879.

English Caption: "Certain High officials studying shells at Atami. When will the explosion take place?"

Here we see the four leading government officials of the day meeting at a hot spring resort at Atami. Their identities can be discerned from the word-play symbolism on the towels hanging up behind them (from right to left):

Sanjô Sanetomi: the three (san) pole (jô) pattern at far right;

Foreign Minister Terashima Munenori: the towel displaying a temple (tera = temple)

Interior Minster #Itô Hirobumi:# the towel with the recurring character for "well" 井, pronounced "i";

Maeshima Mitsu: the towel with the letter ma ま on it.

Why are they studying shells? Here is another play on words: "black mollusk" 黒貝 is pronounced "kokkai." The word for national assembly is also pronounced kokkai 国会. At this time, "black mollusk" was a standard code term for national assembly. Why not just say "national assembly?" Because the issue of if and when to create such a body was highly controversial and the government did not appreciate any pressure on this point. So, as with most political issues, it was best expressed indirectly.