This is an ukiyo-e print by Ando Hiroshige, one of Japan's master artists. It's view #98 of his famous One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Tokyo).
Called Ryugoku hamabi ((両国花火), it is a view of fireworks by the Ryugoku Bride. While not representative of a New Year's Eve celebration - it was originally staged in 1733 on the 28th day of the 5th month to celebrate the opening of the Sumida River - it was part of a purification ritual to drive away the evil spirits.
The bright red rectangle on the left is Hiroshige's signature. The print was created first in the eighth month of 1858.
The boats... the smaller simple roofed ones are called yanebune, while the larger ones are the palace boats known as yakatabune - party boats for hire for the rich merchant class. Food and drinks could be bought from the boats operated by tradesmen who have the boast with the single lantern (the uroubune), who rowed around from boat to boat.
Anyhow... it shows fireworks as a means of celebration, and one in which countries all over the world tend to utilize to call in the new year.
It seems appropriate to appropriate. That's adjective first, and verb next with different pronunciations, of course. English can be a bitch to learn.
Happy 2013!
Cheers
Andrew Joseph
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