Ten Brave Retainers of Oguri, One by One

(Oguri jû-yûshi no ichi-nin, 小栗十勇士の一人)

Publisher: Yahata-ya Sakujirô

c. 1843

This series of prints is based upon the legend Oguri Hangwan monogatari (The Tales of Oguri Hangwan). In brief, Oguri Hangwan Sukeshige was rendered a cripple after being poisoned by his wicked stepmother. He met a girl, Terute-hime, with whose help and prayer he was cured. He became a great warrior, vanquishing the pirate Kazama Hachirô Masakuni among others. The ten retainers referred to in the title of this series of twelve prints may be intended to exclude Oguri Hangwan and Terute-hime. Each panel in this series is about 10 by 7 inches (25 by 18 centimeters), a size known as chûban. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for his contributions to this series.

Terute-hime (照天姫) seated in a wooden cart with a rope attached Robinson: S26.2

Oguri Hangwan Sukeshige (小栗判官助重) standing with closed fan Robinson: S26.1

Another state with a blue border on top

Gotô Daihachirô Takatsugu (後藤大八郎高次) cooking over a fire of burning arrows Robinson: S26.4

Gotô Hyôsuke Suketaka (後藤兵助助高) holding his horse and a naginata Robinson: S26.3

Another state with a blue border on top

Another atate with a purple horse bib

Tanabe Heihachirô Nagatame (田邊平八郎長為) wiping his sword Robinson: S26.6

Tanabe Heirokurô Nagahide (田邊兵六郎長秀), with three arrows in his back, drinking sake from a casket Robinson: S26.5 NOTE: The text on the casket reads Onikage (鬼鹿毛), which translates as demon deer-coat, and was the name of Oguri’s legendary horse.

Another state without the colored ground

Another state with a faded purple? border on top

Kazama Hachirô Masakuni (風間八郎正国) shining a lantern upward Robinson: S26.8

Mitono Kotarô Tamehisa (美登小太郎為久) shining a lantern upward Robinson: S26.7

Another state with a rust colored ground

Another state without a colored ground on the bottom

Kazama Jirô Masasada (風間二郎正貞) grasping his sword in both hands Robinson: S26.10

Ike-no-shôji Sukenaga (池庄司助長) leaning on his sword Robinson: S26.9

Another state with gray curtains and a green groung

Another state with purple curtains and no ground

A state with blue and green clouds in the text cartouche

A state with gray and purple clouds in the text cartouche

Katayama Katarô Harunori (形山加太郎春教) holding his sword behind his back with both hands Robinson: S26.12

Katayama Kajirô Harutaka (形山加次郎春高) in armor raising his hat Robinson: S26.11

Another state without ground

Another state with a green and yellow obi

“Robinson” refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement.

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