Miscellaneous horizontal actor prints,

Part I

 

This section lists horizontal prints (yoko-e) of actors.  Unless otherwise noted, each sheet is approximately 10 by 14 inches (25 by 36 centimeters), a size known as ôban. Two of Kuniyoshi’s series of horizontal actor prints are available elsewhere on this website: Vengeance at Denka Tea House, the 1835 Kanadehon Chûshingura, and Untitled series of Chûshingura chûban.  Kuniyoshi’s series “Kanadehon Chûshingura” from 1854-55 is available on another website.  I am grateful to Robert Pryor for his contributions to this section.

 

Actors: Top: Mimasu Gennosuke I as Chiharu, Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Yorinobu

Bottom: Bandô Mitsugorô IV as Watanabe no Tsuna, Seki Sanjûrô II as Sadamitsu (貞光), Onoe Kikugorô III as Hidetake, Kataoka Ichizô I as Kintoki (金時), and Ichikawa Danjûrô in an unidentified role

Play: Bandô musha tsunagate Hajime (坂東武者綱手始)

Date: 11th month of 1832

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher:

 

NOTE: This is a diptych composed of two horizontal ôban sheets.  I am grateful to Marc DeVriese for this image.

Actors: Iwai Shijaku I as Koiso (小いそ) and Nakamura Utaemon IV as Inada Kôzô (稲田幸蔵)

PlayIwai uta Soga no kaomise (岩井歌曽我対面)

Theater: Nakamura

Date: 2nd month of 1839

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Uhei 

Actors: Nakamura Utaemon IV as Yaoya Hanbei

Play: Shimekazari otakara Soga (七五三翫宝曽我)

Date: 2nd month of 1840

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Uhei

Actors: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Nagoya Kosanza (left, 名古屋小山三) and Nakamura Utaemon IV as Murasaki Daijin (right, Murasaki daijin jitsuha Monogusamura Tarôsaku, 紫大尽 実ハ物草村太郎作)

Play: Monogusa Tarô saku tekuda no yadake (物草太郎作手管歌当)

Date: 3rd month of 1841

Theater: Ichimura

Size: Chûban (about 7 by 10 inches or 18 by 25 centimeters)

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

Actors: Onoe Tamizô II as kitsune (fox) Tadanobu (狐忠信) and Onoe Eizaburô III as Shizuka (しづか)

Play: Yoshitsune Senbon zakura (裏表千本桜)

Date: 5th month of 1841

Theater: Nakamura

Size: Chûban (about 7 by 10 inches or 18 by 25 centimeters)

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Matsuwaka Maru (松若丸), Onoe Kikugorô III as Souta (惣太), and Bandô Shuka I as as the Buddhist nun Seigen (清玄尼)

Play: Hatsu Sakura Onoe no Iwafuji (初桜尾上岩藤)

Date: 3rd month of 1847

Theater: Ichimura

 Publisher: Ebisu-ya Shoshichi

Print title: 53 Stations (Gojûsan eki), Station 51 (Minakuchi)

Actors: Sawamura Sôjûrô V as Nippon Daemon (日本駄右エ門, left), Onoe Kikugorô III as Tenjiku Kaja Dainichimaru (天竺冠者, center), and Bandô Shuka I as Princess Morokoshi hime (唐土姫, right)

Play: Onoe Kikugorô ichidai banashi (尾上梅寿一代噺, The Lifetime of Onoe Kikugorô III)

Date: 7th month of 1847

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Ezaki-ya Kichibei

 

I am grateful to Judy Hahn for information about this print.

Print title: 53 Stations Okazaki (Gojûsan eki Okazaki, 五十三次 岡崎)

Actors: Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Inaba no suke (因幡之助, left), Onoe Kikugorô III as the Spirit of an Old Cat (Koneko no sei, 古猫の精, center), and Sawamura Sojûrô V as Tamashima Itto (玉嶋逸当, right)

Play: Onoe Kikugorô ichidai banashi (尾上梅寿一代噺, The Lifetime of Onoe Kikugorô III)

Date: 7th month of 1847 (censors Hama and Kinugasa)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Ezaki-ya Kichibei

Actors: Bandô Shuka I as the courtesan Hakata Kojorô, Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Komatsuya Sôshichi, and Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Kezoni Kuemon

PlayMimasu Dokko Hakata no Uchikake (三升独鈷博多襠)

Date: 1st month of 1848 (censors Muramatsu and Yoshimura)

Theater: Ichimura

Size: Chûban (about 7 by 10 inches or 18 by 25 centimeters)

Publisher: No seal 

Print title: History of Kanegafuchi (Kanegafuchi no Yurai, 鐘ヶ淵の由来)

Actors: From left: Fujikawa Kayu as O-Kumi of Eiraku-ya (娘おくみ), Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as the retainer (shimobe) Yoshida Gunsuke (下部軍助), and Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Hanakawado Hôkaibô (花川戸法界坊), Nakamura Bungorô II as the head clerk (bantô) Chôkurô (番頭長九郎) and Ichikawa Kôzô as the apprentice (detchi) Kôzô (てつち幸蔵)

Play: Kaidan Sumidagawa (怪談隅田川)

Date: 6th month of 1848 (censors Muramatsu and Yoshimura)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Ningyo-ya Takichi

Another state of the above design with the actors’ names added

Print title: Yohei and the Street Palanquin (Yohei Tsugikago no zu, 与兵衛辻駕の圖)

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Minami Yohei (南与兵衛, left), Bandô Shuka I as the courtesan Miyake of Fuji-ya emerging from a palanquin (center), and Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Minagata Jûjibei (南方十次兵衛, right)

Play: Tsuma Mukaeiro no fumizuki (妻迎艶文月)

Date: 6th month of 1848 (censors Muramatsu and Yoshimura)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Ningyo-ya Takichi

Another state with the actor’s names.  The foreground and tree trunk are not colored.

Actors: Sawamura Genpei II as the child Ishidô Maru (石童丸) and Sawamura Sojûrô V as priest Karukaya Dôshin (かるかや道心)

PlayZôha Tsukushi no iezuto (増補筑紫礎)

Date: 7th month of 1848 (censors Hama and Kinugasa)

Theater: Kawarasaki

PublisherNakayone 

An alternate state of the above design

Actors: Sawamura Genpei II as the child Ishidô Maru and Sawamura Sojûrô V as priest Karukaya Dôshin 

PlayZôha Tsukushi no iezuto (増補筑紫礎)

Date: 7th month of 1848

TheaterKawarasaki

Size: Chûban (about 7 by 10 inches or 18 by 25 centimeters)

Publisher

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Soga Jûrô Sukenari (曽我十郎祐成) and Bandô Hikosaburô IV as Norika Chôbei

Play: Hatsumoto yui Soga no kyodai (初元結曽我鏡台)

Date: 1st month of 1849 (censors Hama and Magome)

Theater: Kawarazaki

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

 

NOTE: This print is approximately 7 by 10 inches (18 by 25 centimeters), a size known as Chûban

Actors: Matsumoto Kinshô I as Senô Tarô Kaneyasu (瀬尾太兼康), Sawamura Chôjûrô V as priest Shunkan (俊寛僧都), Iwai Kumesaburô III as Chidori (千鳥), and Ichikawa Kuzô II as Tanzaemon Motoyasu (丹左衛門基康)

Play: Takane no kumo Yorokobi Soga (高蓉岳雲賀曽我)

Date: 1st month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura) 

Theater: Nakamura

Publisher: Izutsu-ya Shôkichi

 

NOTE: There is the number one in a circle (), to the left of the publisher’s seal.  I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for information about this print.

An alternate state without the number one in a circle () on the preceding print

Actors: Matsumoto Kinshô I as Senô Tarô Kaneyasu (right), Sawamura Chôjûrô V as priest Shunkan (center), and Onoe Baikô IV as Kosho Kichiza (left)

Play: Takane no kumo Yorokobi Soga (高蓉岳雲賀曽我)

Date: 1st month of 1849

Theater: Nakamura

Size: Chûban (about 7 by 10 inches or 18 by 25 centimeters)

Publisher: Sano-ya Kihei

 

I am grateful to Lucienne Parkan for the image.

Actors: Ichkawa Danjûrô VIII as Kinugawa Tanizô (絹川谷蔵, left) and Onoe Kikujirô II as the ghost of the courtesan Miuraya Takao (高尾ゆうこん, right)

Play: Date kurabe Okuni kabuki (伊達競阿国戯場, The Date Rivalry and Okini Kabuki)

Date: 3rd month of 1849 (censors Fuku and Muramatsu)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Kazusa-ya Iwazô 

Another state with the actors’ names added

Actors: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as Musashibo Benkei, Bandô Takesaburô I as Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and Ichikawa Kodanji IV as Togashi no Saemon

Play: Kanjinchô (勧進帳)

Date: 3rd month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Kawarasaki

Publisher: Izutsu-ya Shôkichi 

Another state with a border added, simulating Western picture frames

Actors: Seki Sanjûrô III as Katsura Matsunoshin (三蓋松之進, left), Bandô Shuka I as Katsumi-no O-hide (勝見の小秀, center), and Nakamura Utaemon IV as Uraume Kozue (裏梅梢, right)

Play: Omegumi niuruo Iwafuji (恵閏初夏藤)

Date: 4th month of 1849

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Tama-ya Sôsuke

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Actors: Seki Sanjûrô III as Katsura Matsunoshin (三蓋松之進, left), Bandô Shuka I as Katsumi-no O-hide (勝見の小秀, center), and Nakamura Utaemon IV as Uraume Kozue (裏梅梢, right)

Play: Omegumi niuruo Iwafuji (恵閏初夏藤)

Date: 4th month of 1849 (censors Hama and Magome)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Tsujioka-ya Bunsuke

Actors: Seki Sanjurô III as Katsura Matsunoshin (left), Bandô Shuka I in a female role as Katsumi-no O-hide (center), and Nakamura Utaemon IV as Uraume Kozue (right)

Play: Omegumi niuruo Iwafuji (恵閏初夏藤)

Date: 4th month of 1849

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Kobayashi Taijirô 

Another state with the actors’ names added

Actors: Nakamura Utaemon IV as tsubone Iwafuji (局岩藤, left) and Ichimura Uzaemon XII as Ohatsu (おはつ, right)

Play: Omegumi niuruo Iwafuji (恵閏初夏藤)

Date: 4th month of 1849 (censors Fuku and Muramatsu)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Kazusa-ya Iwazô 

Actors: Ichikawa Kuzô II as ryôrinin Kisuke (料理人喜助, left), Onoe Baikô IV in a female role as Okon (centre) holding a scroll and being threatened by Sawamura Chojurô V as Fukuoka Mitsugi (福岡 みつぎ, right)

Play: Ise ondo koi no netaba (伊勢音頭恋寝刃, The Ise Dances and Love’s Dull Blade)

Date: 5th month of 1849 (censors Kinugasa and Yoshimura)

Theater: Ichimura

Publisher: Tsujioka-ya Bunsuke 

Another state with the actors’ names added

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