Ukiyo-e & Kuniyoshi Utagawa

(No. 1)

1000 Speakers Conference in English

Noriko Nagura, Jun, 2015

Kuniyoshi Utagawa (1798–1861)

Self-Portrait by Kuniyoshi

Kuniyoshi is Famous for Being…

- Comical

- Fond of cats

Cats Suggested as 53 Stations of Tokaido “猫飼好五十三疋” (Myau Kai Kou Goju-San Biki)

Depicting Cats at each one of the 53 Stations of Tokaido,

starting from Nipponbashi to Kyoto

Cats Suggested as 53 Stations of Tokaido “猫飼好五十三疋” (Myau Kai Kou Goju-San Biki)

Looks like

Michel Jackson’s

“Thriller”

Cats forming the Characters for Bonito

(= Katsuo)

“か” = Ka

“つ” = Tsu

“を” = O

Looks like a

restaurant chef.

Tenpo Reforms (1830-1843) by

Tadakuni Mizuno - Famine, farmers’ riots, Morrison Incident

- Thriftiness Policy “Don’t spend money on entertainment!!”

- Many areas in Yoshiwara/Kabuki theaters were closed.

- Ukiyoe of Kabuki actors/beautiful ladies were banned.

Only comical Ukiyoe prints were allowed.

Satire by Personifying Cats

* Especially designed for Uchiwa (Japanese fan)

Geisha ladies at

Yoshiwara (red-

light district)

Kuniyoshi comically

conveyed Edo people’s daily lives.

References

- The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints

https://www.adachi-hanga.com/ukiyo-e/

- Ota Ukiyoe Museum

http://www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp

Thank you!