Comment - Unusual kabuki pentaptych showing five chivalrous commoners, called "otokodate" or "street knights" (or 'ninja') who protected local people from outlawed or marauding samurai ('ronin'). They are dressed in an impressive array of striking kimonos. The hero in the left, wears a yakko kite (奴, 奴凧) on his left sleeve, a kiteline is curling down to the lower left of his blue kimono, where a large kite reel is to be seen. The man in the center wears a robe with giant herons on a blue background. Each man is armed with a single sword and a shakuhachi flute. Straw-wrapped casks of sake are stacked behind them, each barrel printed with a seal and brand name.

The left panel shows Sawamura Tanosuke III (沢村田之助) (1845-1878) in the rôle of Yushima Sankichi (湯島三吉). Center left shows Ichimura Uzaemon (市村羽左衛門) as Honmachi Tsunagorō (本町綱五郎). Center panel shows Bandō Hikosaburō (坂東彦三郎) as Ume Dzuka Yoshibee (梅塚由兵衛). Center right shows Kawarazaki Mimasu (河原崎三舛) as Hanakawado Sukeroku (花川戸助六), ad the right panel shows Nakamura Shikan (中村芝翫) as Kurofunechō Chūuemon (黒船町忠右衛門).


Series -


Artist - see Biography


Signature - "Kunisada-ga" ("国貞画", painted by Kunisada) in red-brownish Otoshidama ring, on all five panels


Publisher - Ōta-ya Takichi (太田屋多吉) 


Image Size - 123.8 x  34.9 cm (48 3/4" x 13 3/4")


Condition - five single sheets (pentaptych); nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); all vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);