You are bidding on an original antique engraving print from an 1860s illustrated journal. This print depicts a Japanese whaling boat with two net throwers in the front. Probably from the Taiji, Wakayama area of Japan, where this method was developed. Wada Kakuemon Yoriharu, later known as Taiji Kakuemon Yoriharu, invented the whaling net technique called amitori-shiki. Instead of trying to harpoon whales in open water, now twenty or more boats would encircle a whale and make a racket, driving it towards the shallows into nets wielded by a second group of six boats. There harpooners would approach in four boats of their own. The nets made escape more difficult and, in its struggle to escape, the whale got tired sooner. Primarily right whales, humpback whales, gray, and fin whales were hunted. Blue whales, sei, Bryde's and sperm whales were however also taken when possible.