Japanese Heroes for the Twelve Signs

Comic Twelve Signs

(Dôke jû-ni-shi)

Publisher: Edo-ya Matsugorô

1841

This series is not listed in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). The images are each about 10 by 7 inches (25 by 18 centimeters), a size known as chûban. Two images were printed on a sheet of paper about 10 by 14 inches (25 by 36 centimeters), a size known as ôban. I am grateful to Ward Pieters for assisting with this series.

Sign: Ox (Ushi)

Title: Oxen Eating Very Spicy Food (Karashi-kiki no ushi)

Sign: Rat (Ne)

Title: Rats Worshipping Daikoku at the Day and Hour of the Rat (Kinoene no nezumi)

Sign: Hare (U)

Title: Hares’ Dumpling Shop (Usagi no dangoya)

Sign: Tiger (Tora)

Title: Tigers and the Snake-eye Sushi Sign (Janome-zushi no tora)

NOTE: The tigers are frightened by the snake-eye trademark of the sushi shop because it resembles the family crest of the historical samurai Katô Kiyomasa (generally called “Masakiyo” or sometimes “Watônai” in prints) who was said to have killed a tiger (an animal not found in Japan) during the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 1590s. Hares are associated with the full moon, and the round dumplings are moon-shaped.