Comment - Uncut single sheet omocha-e, with 16 classical kite designs for Edo kites or Edo Kaku kites. The title of the print is written on the selvage above design No.3 in the small red casette ("omocha-e", "おもちゃ え") written in Hiragana.

The designs are as follows:

No.  1	"Kanji kite" ("ji tako", "字凧") with Kanji character for "Dragon" (Ryū, 龍)
No.  2	Daruma face design
No.  3	Dragon and warrior design; supposedly the story of 'Raiko attacking the demon', a widespread story , even depicted on a stamp, or as a famous surimono by Hokkei
No.  4	"Kanji kite" ("ji tako", "字凧")
No.  5	A variation of the Japanese flag, often to be seen on classical kite woodblock prints, for instance 1, 2, 3, 4 ...
No.  6	A grumpy old man with a black cap addressing a blushing younger one.
No. 7	A scene of the historical tale "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," a story about the three warring kingdoms in China during the third century, often played in Kabuki theatres. The red faced warrior is Kan'u (関羽), a general of Eastern Han.
No.  8	A red sun with a crane on it. The crane is an important symbol for long life. The depicted scene is a typical 'hinode tsuru' (日乃出鶴 ) motif. 'Hinode' means 'sunrise', tsuru means 'crane'. The 'hinodetsuro' is also a traditional motif connected to Asahina.
No.  9	A claw from a mysteriously big bird-of prey reaching out to ta warrior
No. 10	Okame, the Goddess of dawn, mirth and revelry, supposed to be a lucky charm
No. 11	Dragon scene
No. 12	Red faced fighter, maybe a grown up Kintaro
No. 13	A design depicting 'Hyotoko' (火男 or ひょっとこ) with his puckered and bent look. He is the male counterpart of Okame.
No. 14	"Kanji kite" ("ji tako", "字凧"), design with the character for "Storm" (Arashi, 嵐)
No. 15	A depiction of the widespread story of the "Rabbit in the Moon". Despite the "western view" of the red ball as seen as the Sun, it is indeed the Moon, therfore the night blue background. The curly waves are to be intended as 'smoke'. The Rabbit is only hinted at behind the curly 'waves'. Because of self sacrificing, the Rabbit is sent as a reward to the Moon by Teishakuten. Teishakuten is in 'Western eyes' the higher supreme celestial being.
No. 16	"Kanji kite" ("ji tako", "字凧")

Please compare this print with the toy print from KUNIAKI-II, and the small edo kite chiyogami from an unknown woodblock artist of the Meiji-era.

Series - ~


Artist - see Biography


Signature - Yoshifuji-ga ( 芳藤) on upper selvage above design No. 1 and design No. 3 (right hand to the small red title cassette)

Publisher -  Higuchi Katabe ('Higuchi Takagi', 樋口鋠太巨郞) on lower left selvage (left to design No. 9 and 13), with date ande complete address (明治廿二年士一月年土一月七日的刷同年冂月共日出版著作兼的刷發行者日本橋區肃哏町貳丁目七番规樋口鋠太巨郞)


Image Size - 25.3 X  37.1cm   (9 1/15" x 28")


Condition - single sheet; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); omocha-e (toy print); vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);