Prints depicting Otake

Otake (Otake Dainichi Nyorai) was a humble maidservant of the Sakuma family in Odenma-cho in Edo, who was known for the extreme diligence she brought to even the most menial chores. A group of mountain ascetics, who were searching for the reincarnation of the Nyorai Buddha, found her. When Otake bent down to pick up a few grains of rice that had fallen on the floor, a halo-like light surrounded her, convincing the ascetics that they had come upon a divine being. Otake is often portrayed with an object behind her head that resembles a halo, or with a shadow or reflection identifying her as a buddha. Unless otherwise indicated, these prints are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.

	Title: A Brief History of Otake Dainichi Nyorai Description: The woman Otake, who is considered to be an incarnation of Dainichi Buddha Date: 1851 Publisher: Kobayashi Taijirô
	Title: Jiisan basan anesan mukashi banashi Description: The deities Okina Inari, Datsueba and Otake Date: 1849 Publisher:
	Title: Shibuya Kuritsu Shôtô Bijutsukan, Ukiyoeshitachi no shinbutsu Description: Datsueba is dancing to Okina Inari’s drum and Otake Dainichi’s shamisen Date: 1847-1850 (censors Mera and Murata) Publisher: Enshû-ya Matabei Linhart: 50/10029
	Title: A Brief History of Otake Dainichi Nyorai, the Woman Otake Who is Considered to be an Incarnation of the Dainichi Buddha Description: Otake in heaven with a city and Mt. Fuji below Date: 1849 Publisher: Kobayashi Taijirô
	Title: The Legend of the Maidservant Otake Description: Two men see Otake’s shadow and realize that she is a reincarnation of the Nyorai Buddha Date: 1847-1850 (censors Mera and Murata) Publisher:
	Title: Objects from Kitchen Praying to Otake Dainichi Nyorai Description: Date: 1847-1850 Publisher: Enshû-ya Hokobei
	Title: Ryûkôken Description: The three gods Okina Inari, Datsueba and Otake playing ken Date: 1849 Publisher: Ôta-ya Takichi Linhart: 46/10031 NOTE: The small figures show the steps to a dance in he kabuki play Shinki ikken tori no hatsu koe, which was performed in the 2^nd month of 1849 at the Ichimura theater
	Title: Ryûkôken Description: The three gods Okina Inari, Datsueba and Otake playing ken Date: 1849 Publisher: Ôta-ya Takichi Linhart: 47/10032
	Title: The legend of the maidservant Otake Dainichi Nyorai (於竹大日如来) Description: Spectators praying to Otake Date: 1846-1848 (censors Maramatsu and Yoshimura) Publisher: サ under a single mountain is identified as Ôda-ya Takichi of Yushima in Kuniyoshi by B. W. Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961), but as Yamashiro-ya Sahei in Publishers of Japanese Woodblock Prints: A Compendium by Andreas Marks (Hotei Publishing, Leiden, 2011)
	Another state of the above design, or possibly a faded version of the above.
	Title: Otake, the living Dainichi Nyorai (於竹大日如来の由来) Description: Date: c. 1848 Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke
	Title: The Story of the Maidservant Otake (Hijo Otake no Setsu) Description: Otake preparing food Date: 1847-1850 Publisher: Tsujiokaya Bunsuke
	Title: The Legend of the Maidservant Otake Dainichi Nyorai (浮世絵に書かれたお竹大日如来) Description: Otake washing the floor Date: 1846-1852 Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei
	Title: The Legend of the Maidservant Otake Dainichi Nyorai Description: Date: 1849 Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tôbei
	Series: Stories of Wise Women and Faithful Wives (Kenjo reppuden, 賢女烈婦傳) Title: The Maid Take-jo (Kokuji Take-jo, 嬶竹女) Description: Take-jo (Otake Dainichi Nyorai) sprinkling grain for birds Date: c. 1841-1842 Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô Robinson: S20.20
	Title: お竹大日如来の出開帳 Description: Otake looking down from heaven Date: 1846-1852 Publisher:
	Title: Otake, the living Dainichi Nyorai (Great sun Buddha or Vairocana) Description: Date: c.1848 Publisher:

“Linhart” refers to listing in the article ‘Kuniyoshi’s Ken Caricatures between 1847 and 1853’, by Sepp Linhart in Andon, Vol. 83, 2008, pp. 5-29

“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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