warriors; women; men (male humans); boats; halberds; kimonos; banners
Osumi no kata was the daughter of the warrior Honda Tadakatsu (1548-1618), a close Tokugawa ally. She was married to Sanada Nobuyuki (1566-1658), who as a boy had been sent by his father to be a Tokugawa hostage. In 1600 Nobuyuki's father and...
A young beauty looks away from the viewer, glancing back over her left shoulder. She wears a comb and a flowered hair ornament with a blue and white tassel in her hair and a ring on her left hand. Three layers of kimono are visible: a gray...
women; children (people by age group); kimonos; candles; candleholders; fusuma
During the Setsubun / "Change of Season" festival held at the end of winter by the lunar calendar, mame-maki / "bean throwing" is accompanied by shouts of "Fuku wa uchi, oni wa soto" / "Good fortune in, demons out!" The beans are usually thrown out...
According to the text panel, "Ransen was originally a person from Japan, and even though she was a woman, she had a pure heart and acquired the magic of the immortals, riding dragons and floating on clouds without end." From other sources, she...
women; men (male humans); princes; shores (landforms); trees; kimonos; boats
Prince Ariwara no Yukihira (818-893), according to the noh play "Matsukaze," was sent into exile at Suma, where he fell in love with two daughters of a salt-maker. After three years of banishment, Yukihira returned to Kyoto, leaving Murasame and...
men (male humans); women; Japanese maple; trees; kimonos; swords; streams; mountains; warriors
The heroic figure Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948-1021), together with his entourage called the "Four Heavenly Kings / Shitenno," was asked to clear Mt. Oe of the demon Shuten Doji, who ate men and captured beautiful women to serve him. Here they...
men (male humans); soldiers; trees; military uniforms; halberds; swords; flags; cannons (artillery); ships; shores (landforms); fans (costume accessories); chairs
On the shores of Kagoshima Bay, where an imperial navy ship steams toward Sakurajima, Saigo Takamori (1827-1877) stands before a captured cannon wearing his Western style officer's uniform. To the right of Saigo is Kirino Toshiaki (1838-1877)...
In the 11th century novel Tale of Genji, the Third Princess, young wife of the middle age Prince Genji, ventures to the verandah of her quarters to observe some courtiers playing kickball / kemari. Although she is supposed to stay hidden behind...
Three women relax among beds of chrysanthemums. A large pot with red, white, and gold chrysanthemums sits behind them; this and the strong colors of their kimono form vivid splashes of color against the soft gray washes making up the background.
