The Five Festivals

(Go sekku, 五節句)

Publisher: Maru-ya Seijirô

c. 1843

This series shows beautiful women in scenes suggesting one of the five festivals. 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 86 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). The prints are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.

	Title: Girlʼs Festival (女月) Description: Woman crossing a small wooden drum bridge
	Title: 弥? (Star Festival) Description: Woman with giant anchor
	Title: (Feast of the Seven Herbs) Description: Beauty bouncing ball
	Title: Boys’ Day (Tanabata) Description: Woman dressing a little boy
	Title: Double Nine Festival (Chuyo no sekku, 重陽の節句) Description: Woman with chrysanthemums watching cat NOTE: The Chrysanthemum Festival is held on the nineth day of the nineth month. I am grateful to Jerry Vegder for this image.

“Robinson” indicates listing in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson, 1961, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

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