Individual Warrior Prints, 1834-1835

Part I

These prints are listed in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement as S1c. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for his contributions to this section.

Scene: Abe no Yasuchika (安部安近祈玉藻前) exorcising fox demon, Tamama no mae with reflected rays from a mirror

Publisher: Nishimura-ya Yohachi (西村屋板)

Date: c. 1834-1835

Robinson: S1c.1

Another state published by Tsuta-ya Jûzaburô

Nishimura-ya Yohachi (西村屋板)	Tsuta-ya Jûzaburô (版元蔦重)

版元 means publisher

Title: In Toyora Village, Koshibe Sugaru Captures a Thunder Monster (Koshibe no Sugaru Toyora no sato ni rai o torau, 小子部栖軽豊浦里捕雷)

Scene: Koshibe no Sugaru capturing a Raijû (monster) amid flames and lightning in the village of Toyo-ura. The beast was presented to Emperor Yûryaku.

Publisher: Nishimura-ya Yohachi

Date: c. 1834-1835

Robinson: S1c.2

Another state, also published by Nishimura-ya Yohachi, with of a reversal of the purple and blue in Koshibe Sugaru’s kimono

Another state, also published by Nishimura-ya Yohachi, without any purple

Another state, also published by Nishimura-ya Yohachi, without any green in Koshibe Sugaru’s kimono

Another state of the above design published by Tsuta-ya Jûzaburô

Another state published by Jôshû-ya Kinzô

Title: Usui Matagorô killing the giant white monkey in the mountains of Hida (Usui Matagorô hida sanchû ni ôzaru o utsu, 碓井又五郎飛弾山中ﾆ打大猿ｦ)

Publisher: Nishimura-ya Yohachi

Date: c. 1834-1835

Robinson: S1c.3

Another state published by Tsuta-ya Jûzaburô (版元蔦重)

Title: Akugenta strikes down Namba at the Nunobiki Falls (Nunobiki no Taki Akugenta da Namba, 布引ノ滝悪源太打難波)

Scene: The ghost of Akugenda Yoshihira (悪源太) exacting revenge on his slayer, Namba Jirô with a burning thunderbolt

Publisher: Nishimura-ya Yohachi

Date: c. 1834-1835

Robinson: S1c.4

Another state without a pattern on Akugenta’s green sleeves

Another state with the seal of the publisher Tsuta-ya Jûzaburô (版元蔦重)

Scene: The death-struggle of Ôto-no-miya with his murderer, Fuchibe Iga no Kami

Publisher: Nishimura-ya Yohachi (later edition Izumi-ya Ichibei)

Date: c. 1834-1835

Robinson: S1c.5

I am grateful to Ward Pieters for locating this image.

A later edition published by Izumi-ya Ichibei

Scene: Takagi Toranosuke (多嘉木虎之助) capturing a kappa underwater in the Tamura River in the Province of Sagami

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Uhei

Date: c. 1834-1835

Robinson: S1c.6

NOTE: Kappa are amphibious goblins with the body of a tortoise, the limbs of a frog and the head of a monkey

Another state of the above design

Scene: Kusonoki Tamonmaru Masatsura (楠多門丸正行) and Chikudômaru (竹堂丸) killing an old badger that took the form of a priest

Publisher: Kaga-ya Kichiemon

Date: c. 1834-1835

Robinson: S1c.7

I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this image.

A later edition of the above design published by Iba-ya Sensaburô. I am grateful to Richard Illing for this image.

Another state, also published by Iba-ya Sensaburô, with uncolored cartouches in the left upper corner

Scene: Matano no Gorô Kagehisa (俣野五郎景久) and Sanada no Yoichi Yoshitada (眞田与市義忠) struggling on shore at Ishibashiyama

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei

Date: c. 1834-1835

Robinson: S1c.8

“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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