Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳) (artist 11/15/1797 – 03/05/1861)
Kanadehon Chūshingura, Act 5 ('Copybook of the Treasury of Loyal Retainers': 假名手本忠臣藏 - 五段目) - meeting on the Yamazaki road
1854
Signed: Ichiyūsai Kuniyoshi ga
一勇斎国芳画
Date: Tiger 11 - 11/1854
Censor's seal: aratame
British Museum - set of 12 prints including this one
Walters Art Museum
The Ako City Museum of History (via Ritsumeikan University) This print records the meeting between Kampei and Senzaki Yagorō at Yamazaki. If you use the enlarging tools you will notice that this meeting is near a sacred site as indicated by the shimenawa or straw rope strung between two of the trees. You will also notice two ema, i.e., votive plaques seen at shrines, in that same area atop tall bamboo poles with illustrations of cocks or roosters on them. This must have some kind of meaning but what it is is as yet unknown to us. This print dates from 1854 which is not a rooster year in the Japanese zodiac cycle. 1849 and 1861 were.
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Kabuki21 summurizes Act V as: "One dark and rainy night Kanpei is out hunting. He runs into one of Hangan's retainers on a country road and expresses his desire to join their cause. Unsure of Kanpei's trustworthiness, the retainer reveals no details of their plot, but says they are raising funds. Kanpei realizes it is to finance the vendetta and asks to contribute, although he has no ready cash and is dependent on Okaru's parents."
Chūshingura (忠臣蔵 - 47 Rōnin) (genre)
landscape prints (fūkeiga 風景画) (genre)
Hayano Kanpei (早勘平) (role)