Utagawa Kuniyoshi 1844-47 This depicts the scene from a play with a revenge theme. A father and his son, a brother and his younger sister meet, not knowing they are related. The father and son are on the opposite sides of a revenge battle. The play “The Vendetta in Iga (Igagoe Dochu Sugoroku)” is one of the three well known revenge stories along with the story of Soga Brothers and 47 Ronin (masterless samurai) of the Ako domain.

Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige Production date: 1844-47 (Kouka 1~4) Mishima Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige At the explanatory note of Mishima, the origin of Mishima Myoujin and the story of Nouin Houshi (a poet and monk of the late Heian period)’s pray for rain are written. The picture illustrates the scene of Mishima Festival that took place on January 6th during the New Year season. In this Shinto festivity, Honaga who wears white mask and his step-son Fukutarou who wears black mask prays for the abundant harvests and peace, and it still descended as “ta-matsuri” (a festival for paddy field) today. This is a part of the Toukaidou series ukiyo-e, but unlike the other works that focus on the landscapes and views of post stations, in this series the scenes based on legends, tales, kabuki drama, and joururi plays that relate to each post station are illustrated. On the upper part of each work, an explanatory note is written and the picture relates to the notes is illustrated on the lower half. This series was rare since three very popular artists from Utagawa School, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi and Kunisada (Toyokuni III) were all involved to produce the series together. Furthermore, six publishers were collaborated to produce this series. (In this exhibition, works by Utagawa Hiroshige and Utagawa Kuniyoshi are displayed.)

Utagawa Yoshikazu 1858 (Ansei 5) Miura Yoshiaki was a warrior who was a lord of Kinugasa Castle at Miura county of Sagami Province during the late of Heian period. In 1180, when the surviving child of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Minamoto no Yoritomo raised his army, Yoshiaki decided to join Yoritomo’s army and raised his army constructed by his whole clan. However soon after he left the Kinugasa Castle, news that Yoritomo was defeated at the battle of Ishibashi-yama arrived, then Yoshiaki returned to his castle and fought from the castle. However, soon the army of the enemy led by Hatakeyama Shigetada attacked this castle. Yoshiaki fought back desperately with all of his army, but soon the situation turned bad and all the arrows to shoot the enemy were running out. Then he decided to die by protecting the castle, after he let his clan to escape to the Awa Province. He died when he was 89 years old. During Edo period, he was known as a veteran with the righteous and compassionate personality. The poetry on the background is “When you are old, and you have already attended upon your master for a long time, think of his master in the same way as you think of your children ”.

Utagawa (Hashimoto) Sadahide 1864 (Genji 1) This illustration book was produced by Utagawa Sadahide, who was known for his exquisite bird’s-eye view landscape drawings. He was called as “Flying Artist”. In volume 3, the paintings of landscapes such as falls, mountains and islands and also statues, such as the statue of Niou are illustrated.

Picture: Utagawa Kuniyoshi Production date: 1844-47 (Kouka 1~4) At Odawara, the story of the encounter of 13 years old Minamoto no Yoritomo and his future wife Masako from Houjou Family is illustrated as the main theme. After Minamoto clan defeated by Taira clan during the Heiji Rebellion (A battle took place because of the dispute over political power around Emperor), Yoritomo was exiled to Izu and later he met Masako for the first time at Odawara. The scene of young Yoritomo who wears long sleeve Furisode kimono (children’s kimono) with his bangs still remain (During Edo period, a matured man shave the bangs) comes to visit Masako on a snowy day is illustrated. Although the actual story took place at the late Heian period, both Yoritomo and Masako are illustrated with the Edo period custom. This is a part of the Toukaidou series ukiyo-e, but unlike the other works that focus on the landscapes and views of post stations, in this series the scenes based on legends, tales, kabuki drama, and joururi plays that relate to each post station are illustrated. On the upper part of each work, an explanatory note is written and the picture relates to the notes is illustrated on the lower half. This series was rare since three very popular artists from Utagawa School, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi and Kunisada (Toyokuni III) were all involved to produce the series together. Furthermore, six publishers were collaborated to produce this series. (In this exhibition, works by Utagawa Hiroshige and Utagawa Kuniyoshi are displayed.)

1781 (Anei 10) Artist: Unknown Edited by　Kazusaya Rihei This is a script of joururi puppet performance. “Tale of Three Generations of a Family Living in Kamakura” is one of the programs of joururi and kabuki performances and constructed by ten acts (Originally 9 acts). It is performed for the first time at Osaka, in the May of 1770, but the title of the program was different at that time. The author is unknown but it is considered the pupil of Chikamatsu Monzaemon, Chikamatsu Hanji and the others. This script was used when the performance at the Toyotake-za Theater of Douton-bori, Osaka took place in 1781(Anei 10)

Picture: Utagawa Kuniyoshi Production date: 1844-47 (Kouka 1~4) At the explanatory note of Oiso, the relationship of the big brother of Soga brother, Soga-no-Jurou Sukenari from a story “Soga Kyoudai no Adauchi (The Revenge of Soga Brothers)” and his lover, Tora-Gozen, a courtesan of Oiso is written. It is said that Tora-Gozen prayed for Jurou, who died during the revenge, became a nun when she was 19 years old. Then she travelled all over Japan to prayfor him and died at Kumano (One of the sacred place in Japan) when she was 71 years old. In this picture, Jurou stands under a willow tree waiting Tora-Gozen to come and she says something to him from his back. This is a part of the Toukaidou series ukiyo-e, but unlike the other works that focus on the landscapes and views of post stations, in this series the scenes based on legends, tales, kabuki drama, and joururi plays that relate to each post station are illustrated. On the upper part of each work, an explanatory note is written and the picture relates to the notes is illustrated on the lower half. This series was rare since three very popular artists from Utagawa School, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi and Kunisada (Toyokuni III) were all involved to produce the series together. Furthermore, six publishers were collaborated to produce this series. (In this exhibition, works by Utagawa Hiroshige and Utagawa Kuniyoshi are displayed.)

Picture: Utagawa Hiroshige Production date: 1844-47 (Kouka 1~4) With a dynamic expression of lightning and wild wave crash, the legend that explains the origin of the name of Banyu River at Hiratsuka is written. The explanatory note describes that “On December of 1198 (Kenkyu 9), Inage Saburou went to a bridge that crosses over the Sagami River. Inage build this bridge for his wife (who passed away) and there was a ceremony to celebrate the completion of bridge taking place. Even the first warrior leader Minamoto-no-Yoritomo participated for this ceremony. However, while the ceremony was taking place the sudden lightning made Yoritomo’s horse frightened and as a result, it went into the river and died. Since Yoritomo’s horse went into the river, this river was called Banyu River, which means a horse goes into river”. This is a part of the Toukaidou series ukiyo-e, but unlike the other works that focus on the landscapes and views of post stations, in this series the scenes based on legends, tales, kabuki drama, and joururi plays that relate to each post station are illustrated. On the upper part of each work, an explanatory note is written and the picture relates to the notes is illustrated on the lower half. This series was rare since three very popular artists from Utagawa School, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi and Kunisada (Toyokuni III) were all involved to produce the series together. Furthermore, six publishers were collaborated to produce this series. (In this exhibition, works by Utagawa Hiroshige and Utagawa Kuniyoshi are displayed.)