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
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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 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
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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