men (male humans); women; kimonos; musical instruments; Single Built Works; celebrations
In the 10th month, from the 9th to 11th, the Kompira Festival is held at the Kotohiragu Shrine dedicated to the guardian deities of mariners, and later on the 19th day special celebrations in Nihonbashi are held for Ebisu, one of the Seven Gods of...
Two women and a girl prepare musical instruments for a concert. The woman at center holds a lute or biwa, that is ornamented with a plectrum guard featuring a deer under a full moon. The biwa was popular as an accompanying instrument to songs and...
Celebration/festival; women; kimonos; hairstyles; shrines (structures); men (male humans)
Two women have been enjoying the cherry blossoms, for which Mukojima was famous, and one lady now rests on a red felt covered seat. The Meiji author Nagai Kafu thought highly of the area: "They who make the count of famous places of Tokyo cannot...
Lord Nabeshima Naoshige (1538-1618), the military governor (daimyo) of Hizen Province, is being threatened by the Cat Monster of Saga, which is seeking revenge for the deaths of Ryuzoji Matahichiro and his mother. Killer cats have long been a...
Lord Nabeshima Naoshige (1538-1618), the military governor (daimyo) of Hizen Province, is being threatened by the Cat Monster of Saga, which is seeking revenge for the deaths of Ryuzoji Matahichiro and his mother. Killer cats have long been a...
women; men (male humans); children (people by age group); parasols; Built complexes and districts; costume; hats; sandals
From one of the gate towers of Edo Castle, the shogun and his advisers observe the testing of munitions in nearby Edo Bay. The circular inset shows the launch tower for the explosives, with a paper lantern bearing the inscription "Official Use" /...
On the 7th day of the new year, the shogun presented the Inner Palace with large cakes of pounded rice / mochi. Making and eating mochi is still a popular new year's celebration, with small mochi cakes in a vegetable stew / ozoni being a popular...
In the 6th month of alternate years in Edo/Tokyo, the Sanno Festival was celebrated with a parade of floats, banners, musicians and specially dressed groups processing from the Shinto Shrine of Hie Sanno Jinja to Edo Castle. The parade would pass...
castles (fortifications); architectural elements; men (male humans); lanterns
From one of the gate towers of Edo Castle, the shogun and his advisers observe the testing of munitions in nearby Edo Bay. The circular inset shows the launch tower for the explosives, with a paper lantern bearing the inscription "Official Use" /...
women; men (male humans); kimonos; military uniforms; drums (membranophones); flutes (aerophones); biwa; swords; fans (costume accessories)
The emperor, empress and five court ladies at right observe a traditional shirabyoshi dancer. While the imperial couple sit in chairs at a table, their attendants kneel on the carpeted verandah. Also on the porch is an enormous flower arrangement...
Shiei caught a red carp which he released in his pond. He fed it well, and it grew to enormous size. One day the carp spoke to him and promised to carry him to heaven. Here Shiei, dressed in a green Chinese robe, has mounted the fish and is carried...
