Mirror of Our Country’s Military Elegance

(Honchô buyû kagami, 本朝武優鏡)

Publisher: Sano-ya Kihei

c. 1845

The prints in this series are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.

Warrior: Asahina Saburô Yoshihide (朝夷三良義秀) holding the piece of armor he tore from Soga Gorô

Robinson: S32.1

I am grateful to Kate Zotova for this alternate state of the above design.

Warrior: Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源義経) seated with a fan in his hand wearing a court cap and a transparent green robe over his armor Robinson: S32.11

Warrior: Musashi-bô Benkei (武蔵坊辨慶) seated with brush and paper in hand and dry ink on the ground before him Robinson: S32.2

Warrior: Kwanrei Uesugi Danjô-no-daihitsu Terutora Nyûdô Kenshin Fushiki-in Daisôzu (管領上杉弾正大弼輝虎入道) seated wearing the robes of a warrior-monk over armor and holding a club

Robinson: S32.3

Warrior: Mukwan-no-tayû Atsumori (無官大夫敦盛) in full armor wielding a drawn sword Robinson: S32.12

Warrior: Kumagae Jirô Naozane (熊谷次郎直實) in armor and bareheaded about to strike with his sword Robinson: S32.4

Another state of the right sheet of the above diptych

Warrior: Komatsu Naidaijin Shigemori (小松内大臣重盛) stand in black court robes with a black hat

Robinson: S32.5

Warrior: Takeda Daizendayû-ken Shinano no Kami Minamoto no Ason Harunobu Nyûdô Tokuyeiken Hôshô-in Daisôjô Gizan (武田大膳太夫従五位下), who is also known as Shingen, seated in the hooded robes of a monk holding his war-fan with his horned helmet on a stand beside him

Robinson: S32.6

Warrior: Minamoto no Tametomo (源為鞆) shooting arrows with a giant bow

Robinson: S32.7

Another state of the above print

Warrior: Taira no Tomomori (平和盛) wearing court robes over armor holding his naginata (pole arm)

Robinson: S32.8

Warrior: Tomoye-gozen (巴御前) wearing a kimono over armor and holding up a dirk with a tray and sake dipper before her

Robinson: S32.9

Another state of the above print

Warrior: Minamoto no Yoritomo (源頼朝) seated bareheaded in armor holding a notebook and writing brush

Robinson: S32.10

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state of the above design with many differences in the decorations on the armor.

“Robinson” refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement.

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MAIN PAGE