Utagawa Kunisada(ToyokuniⅢ) 1852 (Kaei 5) This work is from the series “Actors Assorted in Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou ”. Right now 140 works of this series are found . The artist Toyokuni III is one of the most popular ukiyo-e artists. The landscape of the post station is illustrated at the background, and a figure in front is a character of kabuki play who has a connection to the post station. Also, the figure’s portrait is based on a famous kabuki actor. Utagawa Kunisada (Utagawa Toyokuni III) Tenmei 6~Genji 1 (1786~1864) Kunisada had a long career started from Bunka 4 (1807) till his death, became the most popular and successful ukiyo-e artist of that time. In the late Edo period, Kunisada’s reputation was far exceeded that of his contemporaries, more highly regarded than even Hokusai or Hiroshige. He was the most productive ukiyo-e artist and produced every genre of ukiyo-e. The pictures of beauties with his characteristic depictions of hunched back and short neck women were the dist inctive features of Kunisada’s style and a famous example was the picture of “Fraudulent Murasaki’s Bumpkin Genji”.

Utagawa Kunisada(ToyokuniⅢ) 1852 (Kaei 5) The depicted figure is a character from “The Story of Jiraiya, the Outlaw Hero”. This work was produced before the first performance of “The Story of Jiraiya, the Outlaw Hero” and the actor depicted in this work, Segawa Kikunojo V had already passed away when this work was chosen. This work is from the series “Actors Assorted in Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou ”. Right now 140 works of this series are found . The artist Toyokuni III is one of the most popular ukiyo-e artists. The landscape of the post station is illustrated at the background, and a figure in front is a character of kabuki play who has a connection to the post station. Also, the figure’s portrait is based on a famous kabuki actor. Utagawa Kunisada (Utagawa Toyokuni III) Tenmei 6~Genji 1 (1786~1864) Kunisada had a long career started from Bunka 4 (1807) till his death, became the most popular and successful ukiyo-e artist of that time. In the late Edo period, Kunisada’s reputation was far exceeded that of his contemporaries, more highly regarded than even Hokusai or Hiroshige. He was the most productive ukiyo-e artist and produced every genre of ukiyo-e. The pictures of beauties with his characteristic depictions of hunched back and short neck women were the dist inctive features of Kunisada’s style and a famous example was the picture of “Fraudulent Murasaki’s Bumpkin Genji”. The depicted figure is a character from “The Story of Jiraiya, the Outlaw Hero”. This work was produced before the first performance of “The Story of Jiraiya, the Outlaw Hero” and the actor depicted in this work, Segawa Kikunojo V had already passed away when this work was chosen.

Artist: Utagawa Toyokuni III (Kunisada) 1852 (Kaei 5) These works are part of the series “Actors Assorted in Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou”. Right now 140 works of this series are found. The artist Toyokuni III was one of the most popular ukiyo-e artists. The landscape of the post station is illustrated at the background, and a figure in front is a character of kabuki play who has a connection to the post station. Also, all figures’ portraits are based on the famous kabuki actors.

Artist: Utagawa Toyokuni III (Kunisada) 1852 (Kaei 5) 　 At the background of this picture, the landscape of the vast Suruga Bay and the sale boats are illustrated. The figure illustrated in front is Shinobu, a character from “Go-ban Taiheiki Shiroishi Banashi (A Chronicle of Great Peace Played out on the Chess: The Story of Shiroishi)”. Shinobu’s father was killed by a samurai, and she, together with her elder sister Miyagino, avenges the murder of her father. Trained under a military specialist Yui Minbu-no-suke (no.12), then assisted by Kanae Yagorou (no.10), they finally complete their revenge mission. The kabuki actor who took part of Shinobu was Iwai Kume-saburou III, and he was very popular and known for his beauty. These works are part of the series “Actors Assorted in Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou”. Right now 140 works of this series are found. The artist Toyokuni III was one of the most popular ukiyo-e artists. The landscape of the post station is illustrated at the background, and a figure in front is a character of kabuki play who has a connection to the post station. Also, all figures’ portraits are based on the famous kabuki actors. At the background of this picture, the landscape of the vast Suruga Bay and the sale boats are illustrated. The figure illustrated in front is Shinobu, a character from “Go-ban Taiheiki Shiroishi Banashi (A Chronicle of Great Peace Played out on the Chess: The Story of Shiroishi)”. Shinobu’s father was killed by a samurai, and she, together with her elder sister Miyagino, avenges the murder of her father. Trained under a military specialist Yui Minbu-no-suke (no.12), then assisted by Kanae Yagorou (no.10), they finally complete their revenge mission. The kabuki actor who took part of Shinobu was Iwai Kume-saburou III, and he was very popular and known for his beauty.

Artist: Utagawa Toyokuni III (Kunisada) 1852 (Kaei 5) At the background of this work, the majestic Mt. Fuji seen from Hara is illustrated and. At the right side of this picture, a mountain extends below Mt.Fuji is Mt. Ashitaka. A figure illustrated is Gofuku-ya Jyubei, one of a character from a kabuki play “The Sugoroku Game of Crossing Iga”. This is a revenge story and the scene illustrated is “the Scene Numazu”, which is the most popular scene in this drama. Heisaku and Oyone who are illustrated in Numadu and Haranno.2 also appear in this scene. These works are part of the series “Actors Assorted in Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou”. Right now 140 works of this series are found. The artist Toyokuni III was one of the most popular ukiyo-e artists. The landscape of the post station is illustrated at the background, and a figure in front is a character of kabuki play who has a connection to the post station. Also, all figures’ portraits are based on the famous kabuki actors. At the background of this work, the majestic Mt. Fuji seen from Hara is illustrated and. At the right side of this picture, a mountain extends below Mt.Fuji is Mt. Ashitaka. A figure illustrated is Gofuku-ya Jyubei, one of a character from a kabuki play “The Sugoroku Game of Crossing Iga”. This is a revenge story and the scene illustrated is “the Scene Numazu”, which is the most popular scene in this drama. Heisaku and Oyone who are illustrated in also appear in this scene.

Artist: Utagawa Toyokuni III (Kunisada) 1852 (Kaei 5) The figure in front is Iinuma Katsugorou, the main character of a story “Miracle of the Deity at Hakone: the Cripple’s Revenge” and the night view of Odawara and the Sakawa River is illustrated at the background. Iinuma Katsugorou and his wife Hatsuhana, travel to achieve a revenge against their enemy but during the journey, Katsugorou’s legs are critically damaged by a disease. In this work, Katsugorou wears a purple headband, which is a patient’s headband indicating his disease, and he uses bamboo stick to support his body. His legs miraculously cured at Hakone, the next post station from Odawara. These works are part of the series “Actors Assorted in Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou”. Right now 140 works of this series are found. The artist Toyokuni III was one of the most popular ukiyo-e artists. The landscape of the post station is illustrated at the background, and a figure in front is a character of kabuki play who has a connection to the post station. Also, all figures’ portraits are based on the famous kabuki actors. The figure in front is Iinuma Katsugorou, the main character of a story “Miracle of the Deity at Hakone: the Cripple’s Revenge” and the night view of Odawara and the Sakawa River is illustrated at the background. Iinuma Katsugorou and his wife Hatsuhana, travel to achieve a revenge against their enemy but during the journey, Katsugorou’s legs are critically damaged by a disease. In this work, Katsugorou wears a purple headband, which is a patient’s headband indicating his disease, and he uses bamboo stick to support his body. His legs miraculously cured at Hakone, the next post station from Odawara.

Artist: Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) Production date: 1852 (Kaei 5) The figure illustrated is Hayano Kampei, a character from “Kana-dehon Chushingura (The Revenge of the Forty-seven Ronin)” and he is a retainer of Enya Hangai (Historically, Hayano was the retainer of Asano Takumi no Kami). He regrets that he could not be there when his master committed the killing incident, since he was dating with his wife Okaru at that time. With a sense of guilt inside of him, Kampei travels to escape with Okaru to her home town. Totsuka is the place where the travel scene takes place. The illustrated actor was Ichikawa Danjurou VIII, who was popular with his beauty and the performance. As the background picture of Hodogaya Station, Shinbashi Bridge that spans over Katabira River is illustrated. For the Totsuka station, a ridgeway between fields with pine trees and a willow tree is illustrated. For both pictures, the characters from a famous revenge story of Akou Roushi of a kabuki play “Kana-dehon Chushingura” are illustrated. For Hodogaya, Bandou Shiuka I as maid Okaru and for Totsuka, Ichikawa Danjurou VIII as Enya Hangan’s (historically, he was Asano Naganori) vassal Hayano Kampei are illustrated. They are lovers but Kampei was failed and they had to run off together. Totsuka was chosen for the background of this picture since the kabuki performance that dramatized the story of their elopement “’Michiyuki Tabiji no Hanamuko (The Journey of the Groom)” took place in Totsuka. The figure illustrated is Hayano Kampei, a character from “Kana-dehon Chushingura (The Revenge of the Forty-seven Ronin)” and he is a retainer of Enya Hangai (Historically, Hayano was the retainer of Asano Takumi no Kami). He regrets that he could not be there when his master committed the killing incident, since he was dating with his wife Okaru at that time. With a sense of guilt inside of him, Kampei travels to escape with Okaru to her home town. Totsuka is the place where the travel scene takes place. The illustrated actor was Ichikawa Danjurou VIII, who was popular with his beauty and the performance.

Artist: Utagawa Toyokuni III (Kunisada) 1852 (Kaei 5) This work shares a consecutive back ground with the work Okazaki2 the Yahagi Bridge over Yahagi River in snowscape is illustrated. At the back of the bridge, the Okazaki Castle, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu’s birthplace is illustrated. The scene illustrated is the “Scene of Okazaki” from a kabuki drama “The Sugoroku Game of Crossing Iga”. The figure illustrated in front is Nakamura Utaemon IV takes part of Karaki Masaemon. In no.16, Onoe Baikou IV takes part of a character, Masaemon’s wife Otani is illustrated. These works are part of the series “Actors Assorted in Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou”. Right now 140 works of this series are found. The artist Toyokuni III was one of the most popular ukiyo-e artists. The landscape of the post station is illustrated at the background, and a figure in front is a character of kabuki play who has a connection to the post station. Also, all figures’ portraits are based on the famous kabuki actors. This work shares a consecutive back ground with the 「Second of Okazaki Station:Otani, Masaemon’wife, from the series “Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Highway”」and the Yahagi Bridge over Yahagi River in snowscape is illustrated. At the back of the bridge, the Okazaki Castle, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu’s birthplace is illustrated.The scene illustrated is the “Scene of Okazaki” from a kabuki drama “The Sugoroku Game of Crossing Iga”. The figure illustrated in front is Nakamura Utaemon IV takes part of Karaki Masaemon. Onoe Baikou IV takes part of a character, Masaemon’s wife Otani is illustrated .