The Five Festivals

(Go sekku no uchi, 五節句のうち)

Publisher: Minato-ya Kohei

1849

In this print series, the five festivals are likened to scenes from the kabuki play Onnagori goshiki no Hanakago (余波五色花魁香), which was performed in the Ichimura Theater in the 9^th month of 1849. The five festivals are Jinjitsu (January 7) Feast of the Seven Herbs or Mankind’s Day; Johshi (March 3) Doll Festival or Girls’ Day; Tango (May 5) Boys’ Day; Tanabata (July 7) Star Festival or Seventh Night; and Choyo (September 9) the Chrysanthemum Festival. The series is listed as number 125 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961), and the prints are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban. I am grateful to Ward Pieters for information about this series.

	Festival: Tango (May 5) Boys’ Day Actors: Bandô Shûka I as Jingû Kôgô (神功皇后, standing) and Nakamura Kanemon IV as Takeshiuchi Sukunene (武内宿祢)
	Another state of the above print
	Festival: Tanabata (July 7) Star Festival or Seventh Night Actors: Bandô Shûka I in female role as the waitress Okaji (仲居おかぢ), actor Nakamura Utaemon IV as Hoshu daijin (宝珠大尽, standing left), and Nakamura Fukusuke I as 釣狐 (standing right)
	Another state of the above print
	Festival: Actors: Nakamura Utaemon IV as a female demon (鬼女, standing) and Seki Sanjuro III as Taira no Koremochi (平惟茂)
	Festival: Jinjitsu (January 7) Feast of the Seven Herbs or Mankind’s Day Actors:
	Festival: Choyo (September 9), Chrysanthemum Festival Actors: Fujikawa Kaju III as the geisha Osen (芸者おせん), Nakamura Utaemon IV as Kyokuba Nori (曲馬乗り), and Seki Sanjûrô III as 題目七次
	Festival: Actors: I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for this image.

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