A Collection of Winter Cherries

(Hôzuki zukushi, ほふづきづくし)

Publisher: Ebisu-ya Shokichi

c. 1840-1842

Hôzuki (Physalis alkekengi) is known in English as winter cherry, the Chinese lantern plant, and as the Japanese lantern plant. In this series, hôzuki petals and leaves reenact well-known stories. The prints are of chûban size (approximately 7 by 10 inches or 18 by 25 centimeters) and were originally printed two per sheet on ôban sized paper (approximately 14 by 10 inches or 36 by 25 centimeters). This series of prints is not listed in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). I am grateful to Robert Pryor for his contributions to this series.

	Title: The mountain centipede (mukadeyama, むかでやま) Story: The story of Hidesato, the Dragon King’s daughter, and the monstrous centipede
	Title: The eight-boat leap (hasso fu tobi, 八そふとび) Story: Yoshistune’s eight boat leap
	Title: Shinto ritual purification (Misogi, みそぎ) Story:
	Title: Kanshin (かん信) Story: Kanshin (Han Sin in Chinese) suffering the humiliation of crawling between the legs of ruffians
	Another state of the above design
	Title: Gojo Bridge (Gojô no bashi, 五條のはし) Story: Yoshitsune and Benkei fighting on Gojô Bridge NOTE: The leaf in the right lower corner resembles the posts of Gojô Bridge
	This is another state of the above print with blue substituting for green. There are also some changes in the bridge post.
	Title: Ghost (Yûrei, ゆうれい) Story: The petals are frightened by an ear of corn
	Title: Sudden summer shower Yudachi (夕立) Story:
	Title: performing all their tricks (gei zukushi, げいづくし) Story:
	Title: Firefly hunting (Hotarugari, ほたるがり) Story:
	Title: The contest (Sumafu, すまふ) Story:
	Another state of the above design
Description: This fan print (uchiwa-e) of cherry petals rehearsing music is clearly related to the above series Date: c. 1840 Publisher: Ise-ya Sôemon
This is what winter cherry really look like.

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