Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan

A catalogue of the Ashmolean’s collection of warriors by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) by Oliver Impey and Mitsuko Watanabe (published Oxford, 2003).

Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan by Oliver Impey and Mitsuko Watanabe

Publications online: 20 objects

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The warrior-monk Negoro no Komizucha defending himself with a pole

  • Literature notes

    ‘Negoro no Komizucha’ was a brave warrior-monk of Negoro-ji (here Konrai-ji) in Wakayama, which was becoming too powerful to be tolerated by Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ‘Komizucha’ was a Herculean figure, specialising in the use of a huge pole, with which he could fight several enemies simultaneously. He was therefore said to be a second Benkei or, according to Kuniyoshi on this print, Ryofu of the Suikoden. In 1585, when Hideyoshi attacked Negoro-ji, ‘Komizucha’ was surrounded and attacked by Kimura Matazō (here Shimura Masazō) and Inoue Daikurō (see No. 13) [EA1971.58], followers of Hideyoshi.

    This print shows this attack and the gallant ‘Komizucha’ dressed as a warrior-monk. Here with enemies on all sides, he holds a three meter pole and a broken bloodstained naginata to ward off the enemy’s shower of swords and arrows.
  • Description

    Japanese warrior-monks were known for their skills in martial arts. This is the monk Komizucha from the Negoro monastery, wearing his monastic habit over a foot soldier’s uniform and a headband instead of the usual cowl. The scene is based on an incident that took place during a long siege held at the Ishiyama Honganji temple in Osaka between 1570 and 1580. The fearless Komizucha charges into battle with his enormous club while swords and arrows rain around him, but is eventually killed and the temple burned to the ground.

  • Details

    Series
    Tales of Heroes of the Chronicles of the Great Peace
    Associated place
    AsiaJapanHonshūKantōTōkyō prefecture Tōkyō (place of creation)
    AsiaJapanHonshūKantōTōkyō prefecture Tōkyō (place of publication)
    Date
    1847 - 1850
    Artist/maker
    Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861) (designer)
    Ryūkatei Tanekazu (1804 - 1858) (author)
    Associated people
    Yamamotoya Heikichi (active early 19th century - 1886) (publisher)
    Murata Heiemon (active 1843 - 1853) (censor)
    Mera Ta’ichirō (active c. 1848 - 1853) (censor)
    Material and technique
    woodblock
    Dimensions
    mount 55.5 x 40.3 cm (height x width)
    sheet 36.2 x 25 cm (height x width)
    Material index
    Technique index
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Presented by George Grigs, Miss Elizabeth Grigs, and Miss Susan Messer, in memory of Derick Grigs, 1971.
    Accession no.
    EA1971.56
  • Further reading

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan by Oliver Impey and Mitsuko Watanabe

    Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of China and Japan

    ‘Negoro no Komizucha’ was a brave warrior-monk of Negoro-ji (here Konrai-ji) in Wakayama, which was becoming too powerful to be tolerated by Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ‘Komizucha’ was a Herculean figure, specialising in the use of a huge pole, with which he could fight several enemies simultaneously. He was therefore said to be a second Benkei or, according to Kuniyoshi on this print, Ryofu of the Suikoden. In 1585, when Hideyoshi attacked Negoro-ji, ‘Komizucha’ was surrounded and attacked by Kimura Matazō (here Shimura Masazō) and Inoue Daikurō (see No. 13) [EA1971.58], followers of Hideyoshi.

    This print shows this attack and the gallant ‘Komizucha’ dressed as a warrior-monk. Here with enemies on all sides, he holds a three meter pole and a broken bloodstained naginata to ward off the enemy’s shower of swords and arrows.
Notice

Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

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