Older than Nissho by three years, Kazuaki had a huge influence on his brother’s artwork, teaching Nissho how to work with oil paints. They were painting buddies and talked about art all of the time, and Nissho confided in him about many things. This painting is representative of Kazuaki’s early work. It skillfully shows the living conditions of laborers in Japan’s northern region at the time. The painting won the Hokkaido Prefectural Board of Education Prize at the 16th Zendoten—Hokkaido Art Exhibition. At the same exhibition, Nissho won the Hokkaido Governor’s Prize with his Garbage. Their works of art at the time were very similar—from the themes to the painting style to the colors—indicating how close the two brothers were. Though he was financially strapped, Kazuaki went to Tokyo National University of Arts to study oil painting. And after graduating, he returned to his hometown to teach. Although Nissho took a different path, the two remained close until Nissho’s death.