A bride is being escorted to her wedding accompanied by several married women. They are passing a table with an arrangement of auspicious figurines and floral elements. Two figurines are Jo and Uba, an elderly couple who symbolize longevity and...
Realizing the Taira forces would be defeated at the Battle of Dan-no-Ura, Tomomori (1152-1185), the Taira clan leader, grabbed an anchor and leapt into the sea. The three imperial symbols were also thrown into the water, to keep the Genji from...
women; men (male humans); kimonos; lanterns (lighting devices); swords; built works; porches
In the epic novel Nanso Satomi Hakkenden by Takizawa Bakin (1767-1848), eight warriors, whose names contain the character for "dog" / ken, are called upon to defend the Satomi family domain. Inuzaka Shino is shown on the verandah of the Taigyu...
At New Year's playing with silk thread balls / itomari was popular among girls and women. Such hand balls / temari were filled with natural sponges for bouncing or with cloth or hair if used for rolling, tossing or just decoration. Here two older...
On the second floor of a Western-style building, probably the famous Rokumeikan, Japanese couples appear to be taking dancing lessons, accompanied by two pianists. The young people seem awkward in movement and intent in their expressions,...
The 11th century poet Suo no naishi, whose poem about "That spring night / Haru no yo" is included among the famous "Collection of One Hundred Poets / Hyakunin isshu," is shown encountering a Buddhist nun in the woods.
children (people by age group); women; kimonos; musical instruments; lanterns (lighting devices); bridges (built works); zithers
The young boy Ushiwakamaru (later known as Minamoto no Yoshitsune 1159-1189) is shown in the garden, talking with a servant of Princess Joruri, who is playing a zither / koto. According to the 15th century Joruri-hime monogatari, Joruri was the...
men (male humans); women; swords; kimonos; shores (landforms)
The newly built Himeji Castle was believed, in the early 17th century, to be haunted by the Shinto spirit Osakabe Myojin. The famous warrior Miyamoto Musashi (1584?-1645) was summoned to exorcise the spirit, and he is shown here confronting...
Akoya, an entertainer in Kyoto’s Kiyomizu zaka pleasure quarters, was mistress to the Heike warrior Taira Kagekiyo (died 1196), who was captured at the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185 but had escaped. The Genji commander ordered Hatakeyama Shigetada...
women; kimonos; children (people by age group); porches; men (male humans); Single Built Works; blinds (coverings); swords
Two married women and a young girl are shown leaving a gated compound, and the text panel indicates that one is the wife of the warrior Kajiwara Kagesue (1162-1200) who has taken a branch of cherry blossoms. At right is a young messenger boy...
men (male humans); women; bows (weapons); arrows; kimonos; blinds (coverings); built works; gardens; warriors
The warrior Takenouchi no Sukune was the trusted minister of the 3rd century empress Jingu, who is credited with conquering kingdoms on the Korean Peninsula. He is shown here in the garden of the imperial palace. Later Sukune became regent for...
maps; ships; boats; flags; swords; halberds; rifles (long guns); military uniforms; Built complexes and districts; soldiers
In July 1882 dissatisfied Korean military units rebelled against King Kojong's government, surrounding his palace, destroying the homes of Queen Min's relatives, overrunning police stations to free political prisoners, and attacking the Japanese...
Martial arts was certainly expected of the men in samurai families, but women drawn from those families to the shogun's Inner Palace would also be familiar with handling weapons. During the Edo Period, use of the halberd / naginata was particularly...
legends (folk tales); men (male humans); armor (protective wear); Buddhas
An armored samurai is wrestling a red demon and multitude of skeletons under the gaze of a grinning yellow Buddha. Toki Motosada has seized the demon by the wrist and is throwing it down. Moths flutter around them under a full moon.
Where...
women; kimonos; flowers (plants); trees; Single Built Works
Within the Edo Castle inner compound was a garden area that was designed to resemble a quiet mountainous region, with rustic teahouses / ochaya where the women of the Inner Palace could relax as if in a country village. Two such thatched roof...
men (male humans); kimonos; edged weapons; clothing; interior spaces; hearth
In this imaginary duel the swordsman Musashi, who was noted for his use of bokutō (wooden swords) in duels, attacks the kensei (sword saint) Tsukahara Bokuden (1489-1571), founder of the mutekatsu-ryu school of fighting ("without hands" or...
Four of the great Meiji Period kabuki actors are represented in this triptych. Nakamura Shikan IV (1830-1899) in the role of Takeda Shingen (1521-1573) is at far right, next to Ichikawa Danjuro IX (1839-1903) playing the part of Rakuganji...
Back to back print. The warrior Minamoto Yoshitomo (1123-1160) died in his efforts to overthrow the imperial chancellor Taira Kiyomori. Here Yoshitomo is shown bidding farewell to his wife Lady Tokiwa just before departing on his unsuccessful...
men (male humans); flowers; swords; kimonos; boats; flowers (plants)
The young woman Miyuki met Miyagi one evening; she gave him a fan with morning glory flowers asagao, and he composed a poem for her about the blossoms, according to the Asagao nikki. In the morning they parted, although their boats passed at...
Three courtly young women are shown creating bonseki. A young girl in a red kimono, her hair tied up in two loops, kneels on the left watching the other two. A second woman, in a dark blue kimono decorated with red, purple and yellow flowers and a...
