Portraits of the Faithful Samurai of True Loyalty

(Seichû gishi shôzô)

Publisher: Sumiyoshi-ya Masagorô

1853

In 1702, Lord Asano of Akô was provoked by Kira Kozukenosuke Yoshinaka into drawing his sword in the shogun’s palace, for which he was forced to take his own life, and his estate was confiscated.  Forty-seven of Lord Asano’s retainers, who were now rônin (samurai without masters), planned and carried out a successful attack on Kira’s palace.  Kira’s head was cut off with the same dagger Lord Asano used to commit seppuku.  (The term ‘hara-kiri’, although more common in English than ‘seppuku’, is considered in Japan to be a vulgar and disrespectful description of an honorable action.).  The 46 surviving rônin were forced to take their own lives.  These events were made into the play, Kanadehon Chûshingura.  This series of prints portrays some of the 47 rônin paired with short poems in the red and green cartouches.  The prints in this series are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban. 

 

 

Ôboshi Yuranosuke Yoshio

Robinson: S78.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yatô Yomoshichi Norikane holding a decorated lantern

Robinson: S78.2

 

Image courtesy of Richard Illing

 

Yoshida Sawayemon Kanesada blowing the signal whistle

Robinson: S78.3

 

Image courtesy of Richard Illing

 

Yokogawa Kampei Munenori

Robinson: S78.4

 

Kanzaki Yagorô Noriyasu

Robinson: S78.5

 

Nakamura Kansuke Masatatsu warding off a brazier of hot ashes that has been thrown at him

Robinson: S78.6

 

The poem translates:

   Surely there will be teahouses

   where we can drink amidst plums–

   on the journey to the other world.

 

Muramatsu Sandayû Takanao drinking from a dipper

Robinson: S78.7

 

Horibe Yahei Kanamaru

Robinson: S78.8

 

Tominomori Sukeyemon Masakata with drawn sword under a bell

Robinson: S78.9

 

Ushioda Masanojô Takanori with bow

Robinson: S78.10

 

 

Yada Gorozayemon Suketake in the snow, making two handed stroke with his sword

Robinson: S78.11

 

Sugino Jûheiji Tsugifusa looking through a lifted curtain, his sword drawn

Robinson: S78.12

 

The poem translates:

   “Behold our valor!” they cry,

   as they surrender to the wind–

   cherry blossoms on the peak.

 

 

This is a drawing of Onodera Tôyemon intended for this series.  This design is not listed in Robinson, and it is very unlikely that it was ever made into a woodblock print.  This is one of several known drawings for unpublished prints in this series.

‘Robinson’ refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982).

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