Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞) / Toyokuni III (三代豊国) (artist 1786 – 01/12/1865)
The Tenth Month (Kannazuki - 神無月) from the series The Twelve Months (Jūnika tsuki no uchi - 十二ヶ月の内)
1851
10 in x 14 in (Overall dimensions)
Signed: Toyokuni ga (豊国画)
Publisher: Minatoya Kohei (Marks 33- seal 24-074)
Censor seals: Mera and Watanabe
Ukiyoe ni kiku
Waseda University
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Brian Bocking in A Popular Dictionary of Shinto wrote on page 67:
Kami-na-zuki or Kanna-zuki. The 'month without kami', from October 11 when all the kami (except those who are deaf and do not hear the summons, such as Ebisu) having completed their work protecting the harvest are seen off from their shrines and make a tour to Izumo. In Izumo, this period is consequently known as kami-arizuki or 'the month of kami'. The period may correspond to the month known as saigetsu, the precarious month of abstinence before the harvest was secured when according to the Engi-shiki burial and reburial and other practices were tabooed and the Taoist custom of worshipping the North star as the Heavenly Emperor was prohibited.
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There is no corresponding Genji mon like the one in light green in the upper right.
Minatoya Kohei (湊屋小兵衛) (publisher)
Genji related prints (Genji-e - 源氏絵) (genre)