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  • Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as Tohachi Gomon [藤八五文] actually (<i>Jitsuwa</i>) Naosuke Gonbei [藤八五もん実は直助権兵へ] from the play <i>Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan</i> [東海道四谷怪談]
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as Tohachi Gomon [藤八五文] actually (<i>Jitsuwa</i>) Naosuke Gonbei [藤八五もん実は直助権兵へ] from the play <i>Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan</i> [東海道四谷怪談]
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as Tohachi Gomon [藤八五文] actually (<i>Jitsuwa</i>) Naosuke Gonbei [藤八五もん実は直助権兵へ] from the play <i>Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan</i> [東海道四谷怪談]
Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as Tohachi Gomon [藤八五文] actually (<i>Jitsuwa</i>) Naosuke Gonbei [藤八五もん実は直助権兵へ] from the play <i>Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan</i> [東海道四谷怪談]
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Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞) / Toyokuni III (三代豊国) (artist 1786 – 01/12/1865)

Matsumoto Kōshirō V (松本幸四郎) as Tohachi Gomon [藤八五文] actually (Jitsuwa) Naosuke Gonbei [藤八五もん実は直助権兵へ] from the play Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan [東海道四谷怪談]

Print

07/27/1825
9.375 in x 14 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signed: Gototei Kunisada ga (五渡亭国貞画)
Publisher: Mikawaya Seiemon (Marks 328 - seal 16-011)
Censor's seal: kiwame
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Waseda This is from a performance of 7/27/1825 of the Tōkaidō Yotsuya kaidan at the Nakamura Theater.

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We now think we know the reason for the humorous juxtaposition of the inset image of the King of Hell receiving a moxa treatment in the upper left and the attitude of the main figure in this print. [See our comments at the bottom of this page.] It must be somewhat humorous considering the role played in Japanese society of Enma (aka Emma-o and/or Yama, the King of Hell) who is meant to instill fear in the living because he is the one who can make a decision about a soul's place for the rest of eternity. Surely such a powerful figure should not be in need of such a therapeutic treatment.

It is interesting, because the earlier representations of Enma from the onset were meant to instill fear, but by the time of this print and later images this king he was being mocked, almost as though he didn't really exist. Kuniyoshi and Kyōsai often portrayed him in this irreverent way.

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Illustrated in color in Kunisada: The Kabuki Actor Portraits (Gototei Kunisada yakusha-e no sekai - 國貞:役者絵の世界) by Shigeru Shindō, 1993, page 72. There is a small black and white reproduction on page 140 with a catalog description. It states: "This painting depicts a scene from the first performance of Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan, a well known work produced by Tsuruya Namboku. In the line for the introductory act, there is written "Onaga Enmasama E Kyuwo Sueteiru Kanban", a signboard for the first performance." Here is a partial transcription of the end of that quote: "...へ灸を据えている看板". The Lyon Collection had originally identified the main character as Fujihachi. According to Google AI site: " "Tohachigomon"... This is a call used when selling medicine during the Edo period, and is an abbreviation of "Fujihachi, Gomon, Kimyo."。It is particularly famous as the cry of the medicine seller who appears in the Kabuki play " Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan . " " Google goes on to say: "Fujihachigomonyaku: This medicine was started by a man named Wataya Tohachi in Nagasaki during the Bunka and Bunsei eras (1804-1830), and was called "Tohachi Five-Mon Medicine" because it was sold for five mon per pill." And, "This medicine seller's call became widely known when it was used in the opening act of "Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan," which premiered in 1825." Google adds: "There is also a fist game called " Fujihachiken ," which was derived from the cry of a seller of "Fujihachi Gomonyaku."This is a type of fox fist, a game in which players compete against each other using a rock-paper-scissors system."
Mikawaya Seiemon (三河屋清右衛門) (publisher)