Heroic Stories of the Taiheiki, Part I

(Taiheiki eiyû den, 太平記英勇傳)

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

c. 1848-1849

The Taiheiki was written in the late fourteenth century and recounts a series of wars between the Northern Court of Ashikaga Takauji in Kyoto, and the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in Yoshino. However, this series of prints portrays characters from the civil wars of the sixteenth century, with the participant’s names altered. Most of the prints bear numbers within circles. They are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban. Complete translations of the texts on the prints may be found in Heroes of the Grand Pacification: Kuniyoshi’s Taiheiki eiyū den by Elena Varshavskaya (2006, Hotei Publishing, Amsterdam, 2006).

	Robinson: S62.1 Number: 43 Description: Kozaemon Hisamitsu (合郷基左エ門久盈) mounted and armored, but bareheaded, on his galloping steed Historical character: Haigô Gozaemon Hisamitsu
	Robinson: S62.2 Number: 34 Description: Akashi Ridayû Hidemoto (明石理太夫秀基), with a straw raincoat over his armor, and armed with a hoe Historical character: Akashi Gidayû Tadamasu
	Robinson: S62.3 Number: 19 Description: Amanaka Shikanosuke Yukimori (尼中鹿之助幸盛), fully armored and carrying a jûmonji spear Historical character: Yamanaka Shikanosuke Yukimori NOTE: The illustrated example is from an unnumbered edition
	Robinson: S62.4 Number: 27 Description: Aragi Settsu no Kami Murashige (荒儀攝津守村重), in full court dress, eating mochi (rice buns) from the point of the sword of the unseen Nobunaga Historical character: Araki Setsu-no kami Murashige
	Another state of the above design
	Robinson: S62.5 Number: 7 (㊆) Description: Asai Bizen no Kami Nakamasa (阿左井備前守中政) armored and seated on a tiger-skin stool, inspecting a severed head Historical character: Asai Nagamasa
	Robinson: S62.6 Number: 8 (㊇) Description: Asakura Saemon-no-tayû Yoshikane (淺久良左エ門太夫義兼) standing, armored except for sode (sleeve) and helmet, cutting off the end of his waistband Historical character: Asakura Saemonnokami Yoshikage
	Robinson: S62.7 Number: 3 (㊂) Description: Chibata Shuri-no-shin Tatsuie (千場田修理進辰家) grasping his spear, with which he has just broken the water-jars to induce his men to make a sally while besieged in the castle of Chôkôji Historical character: Shibata Shurinosuke Katsuie NOTE: The illustrated example is from an unnumbered edition
	Painting after the above print
	Robinson: S62.8 Number: 22 Description: Fujiwara no Masakiyo (藤原正清) in full armor seated on a camp-stool on the shore in Korea, with two Koreans at his feet Historical character: Katô Kiyomasa
	Robinson: S62.9 Number: 15 Description: Fukishima Masamori (吹嶋政守) in armor, struggling with three assailants Historical character: Fukushima Masanori
	Robinson: S62.10 Number: This design exists with the number 31 and also with the number 33 Description: Hamaji Shôgen Mitsukuni (濱地将監満國), armored but without helmet, cutting a blossoming branch with his sword Historical character: Yamaji Shôgen Masakuni
	Robinson: S62.11 Number: 35 Description: Hayashi Tanshirô Taketoshi (林丹四郎武俊), armored but without helmet, in his last battle at Uchide-no-hama in 1582 Historical character: Hayashi Hanshirô Taketoshi
	Another state of the above design
	Robinson: S62.12 Number: 44 Description: Hida Magobei Masatoshi (比田孫兵衛正俊), in armor but without helmet, in battle against the Chinese in Korea Historical character: Kida Magobee Muneharu
	Robinson: S62.13 Number: 17 Description: Hori Ran Maru Nagayasu (保理蘭丸永保), in court robes, having just knocked off the court cap of Takachi Michihide with his fan Historical character: Mori Ranmaru Nagasada
	Another state of the above design
	Robinson: S62.14 Number: 45 Description: Horimoto Gigayû Takatoshi (堀本儀太夫高利) standing in full armor holding his spear Historical character: Morimoto Gidayû Hidetora
	Robinson: S62.15 Number: 2 (㊁) Description: Inagawa Jibu-no-tayû Minamoto no Yoshimoto (稲川治部太夫源義基) in full armor, seated on a camp stool by a fence Historical character: Imagawa Yoshimoto
	Another state of the above design from an unnumbered edition
	Robinson: S62.16 Number: 47 Description: Ina-ue Daikurô Masatada (稲上大九郎正忠) in armor without a helmet, firing a small cannon Historical character: Inoue Daikurô Nagayoshi
	Another state of the above design in which the skull on the sashimono is grey
	Robinson: S62.17 Number: This design exists with the number 27 and also with the number 37 Description: Ishikawa Sôsuke Sadatomo (石川荘助貞和) at the Battle of Shizu-ga-mine in 1583 Historical character: Ishikawa Hyôsuke Kazumitsu
	Robinson: S62.18 Number: 10 (㊉) Description: Isono Tamba no Kami Sadamasa (井曽野丹波守貞正) seated on a camp stool holding a spear Historical character: Isono Tanba-no kami Kazumasa
	Another state of the above design

“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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