• Onoe Kikugorō V (尾上菊五郎) as Hangan Yoshitsune (判官義経) on the left, Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (市川団十郎) as Musashibō Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶) in the middle, Ichikawa Sadanji I (市川左団次) as Togashi Saemon (富樫左衛門) on the right in one of <i>The 18 Kabuki Plays</i> (<i>Kabuki Jūhachiban</i> - 歌舞伎十八番之内) - <i>The Subscription List</i> (<i>Kanjinchō</i> - 勧進帳)
Onoe Kikugorō V (尾上菊五郎) as Hangan Yoshitsune (判官義経) on the left, Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (市川団十郎) as Musashibō Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶) in the middle, Ichikawa Sadanji I (市川左団次) as Togashi Saemon (富樫左衛門) on the right in one of <i>The 18 Kabuki Plays</i> (<i>Kabuki Jūhachiban</i> - 歌舞伎十八番之内) - <i>The Subscription List</i> (<i>Kanjinchō</i> - 勧進帳)
Onoe Kikugorō V (尾上菊五郎) as Hangan Yoshitsune (判官義経) on the left, Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (市川団十郎) as Musashibō Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶) in the middle, Ichikawa Sadanji I (市川左団次) as Togashi Saemon (富樫左衛門) on the right in one of <i>The 18 Kabuki Plays</i> (<i>Kabuki Jūhachiban</i> - 歌舞伎十八番之内) - <i>The Subscription List</i> (<i>Kanjinchō</i> - 勧進帳)
Onoe Kikugorō V (尾上菊五郎) as Hangan Yoshitsune (判官義経) on the left, Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (市川団十郎) as Musashibō Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶) in the middle, Ichikawa Sadanji I (市川左団次) as Togashi Saemon (富樫左衛門) on the right in one of <i>The 18 Kabuki Plays</i> (<i>Kabuki Jūhachiban</i> - 歌舞伎十八番之内) - <i>The Subscription List</i> (<i>Kanjinchō</i> - 勧進帳)
Onoe Kikugorō V (尾上菊五郎) as Hangan Yoshitsune (判官義経) on the left, Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (市川団十郎) as Musashibō Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶) in the middle, Ichikawa Sadanji I (市川左団次) as Togashi Saemon (富樫左衛門) on the right in one of <i>The 18 Kabuki Plays</i> (<i>Kabuki Jūhachiban</i> - 歌舞伎十八番之内) - <i>The Subscription List</i> (<i>Kanjinchō</i> - 勧進帳)
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Toyohara Kunichika (豊原国周) (artist 1835 – 1900)

Onoe Kikugorō V (尾上菊五郎) as Hangan Yoshitsune (判官義経) on the left, Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (市川団十郎) as Musashibō Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶) in the middle, Ichikawa Sadanji I (市川左団次) as Togashi Saemon (富樫左衛門) on the right in one of The 18 Kabuki Plays (Kabuki Jūhachiban - 歌舞伎十八番之内) - The Subscription List (Kanjinchō - 勧進帳)

Print

05/22/1890
29.25 in x 14.5 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signed: Toyohara Kunichika hitsu
豊原国周筆
Publisher: Ishii Rokunosuke (石井六之助)
(Marks 160)
Date: Meiji 23 (明治廿三年)
Waseda University - right panel
Waseda University - center panel
Waseda University - left panel
Honolulu Museum of Art
Kunitachi College of Music Library - the left panel (via Ritsumeikan University)
Kunitachi College of Music Library - center panel (via Ritsumeikan University)
Kunitachi College of Music Library - right panel (via Ritsumeikan University) Of the two Kunichika triptychs shown here, the one in the Lyon Collection with the faux-wood background is the older.

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What is with the pom-poms on the figure of Benkei in the center panel? They are part of the yuigesa (結袈裟)

Quitman Eugene Phillips wrote about warriors disguised as yamabushi, mountain priest/ascetics: "There is a subtler suggestion of this in the warriors groups’ adherence to the esoteric Buddhist principle of the conversion of five elements to six. Among mountain ascetics, this finds visual and material expression in the yuigesa 結袈裟, a sort of surplice comprised of sashes running down each side of the torso and joined at the back into one that runs down the spine. The yuigesa is adorned with a set of six circular attachments—four in front and two in back—that sometimes take the form of small pom-poms, but in the Suntory illustrations are medallions. There are five elements of the universe—water, fire, wood, metal, and earth—but, according to the esoteric Buddhist beliefs that were part of shugendō’s syncretic mix, the five elements on their own are inanimate. It is only when a sixth element—mind—is added that life exists, and yuigesa are a constant reminder of this."
actor prints (yakusha-e - 役者絵) (genre)
Meiji era (明治時代: 1868-1912) (genre)
Onoe Kikugorō V (五代目尾上菊五郎: 8/1868 to 2/1903) (actor)
Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (九代目市川團十郞: July 1874 to 1903) (actor)
Ichikawa Sadanji I (初代市川左團次: from 1/1865 to August 7, 1904) (actor)
Ishii Rokunosuke (石井六之助) (publisher)
Musashibō Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶) (role)
Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源義経) (role)