women; men (male humans); kimonos; fans (costume accessories); snow (precipitation); trees; flowers (plants); hats; hair ornaments; hairstyles; built works
In 1338 the daughter of the governor of Iga Province went with her mother to the imperial palace in Kyoto, accompanied by the courtier Hino Suketoshi. One evening at a banquet for moon viewing, Suketoshi mistook Lady Nii's wine cup for his own, and...
This later Setsu gekka series, which numbers at least 30 prints, is rather lyrical in its depiction of seasonal change. Flower petals flutter to the ground as a little dog tugs on its leash. Mist crosses a full summer moon as Niwaka Festival...
Takiyasha, the third daughter of the rebel Taira no Masakado (died 940) is shown carrying a sword, bell and torchlight, as she prepares to destroy Oya no Taro Mitsukuni, who had been sent to inspect the ruins of Masakado fortress following its...
women; courtesans; men (male humans); children (people by age group); snow (precipitation); swords; trees; hats; sandals; Built complexes and districts
The Yoshiwara courtesan Urazato had a child by Tokijiro, but the Yamana-ya brothel owner forbid Urazato from seeing her lover, according to the kabuki play Akegarasu Hana no Nureginu. On a snowy evening, Urazato goes into the garden to meet...
Sata Tadanobu, katana drawn, leaps through the air in a snowy landscape. Panels of his armor and the cords binding them fly about him, and he has a bunch of arrows lashed to his back.
women; kimonos; children (people by age group); snow (precipitation); trees; hats
Tokiwa gozen had to flee Kyoto in the dead of winter after her husband Minamoto no Yoshitomo (1123-60) was murdered and their home pillaged. (See Plate 55) Here she clasps to her chest their youngest son Ushiwaka, wrapped in orange brocade; he will...
men (male humans); women; trees; snow (precipitation); kimonos; sandals; hats; built works; stables (animal housing)
In the dead of winter, a Buddhist priest showed up unexpectedly at the cottage of Sano Genzaemon Tsuneyo in Yashu (Shimotsuke Province, modern Tochigi Prefecture). The impoverished warrior offered what hospitality he could, although recently he had...
warriors; armor (protective wear); banners; women; kimonos; snow (precipitation); sandals; built works
Lady Tsukiyama (1542-1579), adopted daughter of Imagawa Yoshimoto (1519-1560), military governor of Sanshu, Mikawa Province, was married in 1557 for political alliance reasons to Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616), who was born at Okazaki Castle but was...
men (male humans); women; kimonos; snow (precipitation); skull (skeleton component)
Taira no Kiyomori (1118-1181), leader of the Heike, was ruthless in his pursuit of political power, crushing the Genji clan in 1160, taking the position of Chancellor in 1167, marrying his daughter to Emperor Takakura, placing the retired Emperor...
swords; men (male humans); women; snow (precipitation); trees; mountains; hats
The famous bandit Ishikawa Goemon (died 1594) hid out in the Mountain Gate of Nanzen-ji, a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto. According to the kabuki play "Temple Gate and Paulownia Crest" / Sanmon gozan no kiri, he wanted to avenge his father's death...
women; courtesans; men (male humans); swords; kimonos; children (people by age group); screens (furniture); fusuma; snow (precipitation); built works
The little boy Yokichi has heard that his sister Otaki, who was sold into prostitution, has committed suicide, and he comes to the Arimaya brothel to find out more information.
fans (costume accessories); women; kimonos; snow (precipitation); trees; blinds (coverings); tables (support furniture); built works
The 10-11th century poet Sei Shonagon was invited to join the Imperial Court to enhance the literary atmosphere around Empress Teishi's entourage. Sei was known for her quick wit and critical eye, and compiled a "Pillowbook / Makura no Soshi" of...
Through autumn rains and winter snowstorms the love struck Shii no Shosho vowed to travel from Kyoto to Fukakusa for 100 successive nights in order to merit an opportunity to meet the 9th century poet Ono no Komachi, renown for her beauty and...
men (male humans); women; snow (precipitation); kimonos; Built complexes and districts; palanquins
In the serialized novel "The Story of Young Thunder Hero / Jiraiya goketsu monogatari" published in the mid 19th century and in the 1852 kabuki play by the same name, Jiraiya leads a group of bandits in the snow country of Echigo. Here his men...
men (male humans); women; children (people by age group); kimonos; snow (precipitation); parasols; lanterns (lighting devices); hats; baskets; sandals
The famous thief Nezumi Kozo, the "Little Rat Kozo" of Edo, disguised as Takasaki Beian, stands outside an inn talking with a young boy, the clam seller Sankichi. Kozo was a "Robin Hood" type character, eventually caught and executed in 1835.
women; men (male humans); warriors; armor (protective wear); kimonos; hats; swords; halberds; snow (precipitation); mountains; waterfalls (natural bodies of water); built works
In the snowy mountains of Yoshino, the Genji warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159-1189) meets up with his beloved Lady Shizuka. Yoshitsune is on-the-run, moving from southern to northern Japan with his retainers, including the former monk Benkei,...
warriors; armor (protective wear); swords; helmets; halberds; women; kimonos; hats; Single Built Works; snow (precipitation); arrows
In the play "Yoshitsune's 1000 Cherry Trees / Yoshitsune senbon zakura," the warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159-1185) must journey to a distant island and entrusts his beloved mistress Shizuka gozen to his friend Sato Tadanobu (1161-1186) for...
The wife of Matsumura and the daughter of Hayakawa have joined a night attack on the Honjo mansion of Kira Yoshinaka, the climax of a vendetta when the followers of Asano Naganori sought revenge for the humiliation of Asano by Kira. Asano, Lord of...
snow (precipitation); men (male humans); women; kimonos; children (people by age group)
Kiuchi Sogoro, as mayor of Kozu-mura (present day Narita City), presented a petition in 1652 directly to the shogun Tokugawa Ietsuna asking tax relief for his farming village because of a bad harvest and harsh treatment by the local governor Hotta...
