Comment - "Fukuroi in Tôtômi Province: Drunken Games of Yaji and Kita" - Comic illustration of the bumbling travelers Kita and Yaji, who are featured in the novel "Shank's Mare". They are staying at a roadside inn at the Tokaido Road. Fukuroi is Station No. 28 of the Tôkaidô. The drunken pair plays tricks on two blind guests who are attempting to eat their dinners. One reaches around to grab a porcelain cup of sake from the guest's tray, while his companion stealthily attempts to remove a pitcher of sake. The waitresses watch with amusement, giggling at their antics as the blind men howl at the insults.

A circular inset at upper left shows three men flying kites beyond a tall tree. A red squared kite and a red round shaped kite (Fukuroi Circular kite, 袋井の丸) are to be seen. Two men try to drag a kiteline of a third kite (out of sight), a kiteline basket is on the ground. An unusual subject from this popular Tokaido Road novel, with cloth embossing behind the verse inset.

The title is within the green signpost cassette.


Series -  Tokaido Road series pairing images with verses in calligraphy for the different stations. Different artists contributed designs, including Yoshitora, Kyosai, Kunisada II, Seikichi, and others. The large pictures include landscapes, figures from history and legend, and scenes from kabuki plays and folktales. Several prints feature comic illustrations, including the adventures and mishaps of Kita and Yaji, the bumbling travelers from the popular novel "Shank's Mare." Others include travelers in Western attire or distinctly modern Meiji subjects. These imaginative prints are beautifully detailed with attractive color and fine line work, and offer an interesting Meiji era take on the classic Tokaido subject.

Calligraphy and Pictures for the Fifty-three Stations of the Tôkaidô ("Shoga gojûsan eki", "書画五拾三駅") in the red signpost cassette (center right). This print is number 28 in this series. Compare number 36 of the series.


Artist - see Biographies YOSHITORA, KYOSAI, and SHIGEKIYO


Signature - Yoshitora ga (芳虎画) upper red cassette (main picture),  Seisei Kyôsai (惺々暁斎) lower red cassette (main picture), additional artist Shigekiyo (重清) circular kite insert


Publisher -  Sawamura-ya Seikichi (沢村屋清吉), Seiei-dō Publisher's (青永堂)


Image Size - 21.9cm X 33.0cm   or  8 5/8" x 13" (+ margins)


Condition - single sheet; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);