The Fifty-three Stations on Shank’s Mare

(Hizakurige go-jû-san eki)

1854

These prints illustrate the comic kabuki play Tabi suzume aiyado banashi (旅雀我好話) which was performed at the Nakamura Theater in the seventh month of 1854. The total number of prints is unknown, but each illustrates a station along the Tôkaidô. The play, in turn, was based upon a comic novel by Jippensha Ikku titled The Fifty-three Stations on Shank’s Mare. The prints in this series are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban. The series is listed as number 204 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961).

	Station: Odeawara Actors: Nakayama Ichizô I as Yajirobei (弥二郎兵衛), Ôtani Tokuji as the maidservant Otoku (下女 おとく), Nakamura Tsurozô I as Kitahachi (喜多八), and an unidentified actor as 後家お猿 Description: Traveller Kitahachi in a bath helped by servants while Yajirobei looks in from outside Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke
	Station: Yui Actors: Unidentified actor as Saruichi (さる市), unidentified actor as Osai (おさい), Ichimura Tsuruzô I as Kitahachi (喜太八), unidentified actor as 鴫吉, Nakayama Ichizô I as Yajirô (弥次郎), and Arashi Wonkichi III as 犬市 Description: Yaji, Kita, Saruichi, Inuichi, the maid Osai, and blind men at the inn of Yui Station Publisher: Ôta-ya Takichi
	Station: Okitsu Actors: Arashi Otohachi III as 犬市, Nakayama Ichizô I as 弥二郎兵衛, Nakamura Tsurozô I as Kitahachi (キ太八), and an unidentified actor as さる市 Description: Publisher: Tsujioka-ya Bunsuke

“Robinson” refers to listing of the series in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961).

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