Komochi-e
(trick pictures)
Komochi-e (子持絵) or trick pictures are prints with movable printed
paper flaps or other moveable parts.
Multicolor komochi-e may be called
komochi nishiki-e (子持錦絵). The images
below show a single print with the flaps in different positions. |
Actors: Ichikawa
Danjûrô VIII as Tamiya Iemon (神谷仁右衛門) Play: Manete Mimasu yotsuya no kikigaki (当三升四谷聞書, Ghost stories
at Yotsuya) Date: 9th
month of 1848 (censors Theater: Ichimura Publisher: Sano-ya Kihei NOTE: In this play, Kamiya Niemon is married to Oiwa, but
falls in love with another woman. He
poisons his wife who dies an agonizing death resulting in facial
deformity. Niemon’s
servant Kohei is on to what his master has done. Niemon kills him
too and nails both of their bodies to a door and throws it into the |
Actors: Ichikawa
Danjûrô VIII as Tamiya Iemon (神谷仁右衛門) Play: Manete Mimasu yotsuya no kikigaki (当三升四谷聞書, Ghost stories
at Yotsuya) Date: 9th
month of 1848 (censors Muramatsu and Yoshimura) Theater: Ichimura Publisher: |
Actors:
Matsumoto Koshirô V as Satô
Yomoshichi Play: Tôkaidô Yotsuya kaidan (東海道四谷怪談) Date: 7th
month of 1836 Theater: Morita Publisher: Tsuru-ya Kiyemon |
Actors: Left sheet:
Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Princess Nowake’s ghost (野分姫亡魂, standing) and
Fujikawa Kaju III as the girl Okumi
(永楽屋娘おくみ, kneeling) Right sheet: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as 成田八郎親孝 (inset), Bandô Shûka I as 渡守大和屋お秀 (standing), Sawamura Gennosuke III as
Yoshida Matsuwakamaru (吉田松若丸, kneeling in
foreground) Play: Tsuma Mukae Iro no fumizuki (妻迎艶文月) Date: 6th
month of 1848 (censors Mera and Murata) Theater: Ichimura Publisher: Ningyô-ya Takichi NOTE: A paper flap
(shikake,
仕掛け) is missing
from the above print. The image below
shows how raising the flap makes the ghost appear. |
From the ehon (picture book),
The Matsu Fuji Weir in Kyûshû (Tsukushi
matsu fuji no shigarami,
筑紫松藤柵), published in
1826, Volume 1, pages 4 and 5. The
above image shows several scenes from kabuki
plays without frank eroticism.
However, pages 4 and 5 have flaps that may be lifted to reveal shunga (erotic pictures). The
4 following illustrations show the same pages with the flaps in different
positions. |
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From the ehon (picture book),
The Matsu Fuji Weir in Kyûshû (Tsukushi matsu
fuji no shigarami, 筑紫松藤柵), published in
1830. The above image shows a man and
two women playing sugoroku. The following
image shows the same scene with the printed paper flap lifted. |
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