Raiko and his four retainers: from left to right, Sakata no Kintoki, Usui no Sadamitsu, Watanabe no Tsuna and Urabe no Suyetake on Oyeyama, “Devil’s Mountain.” Shows Raiko having just decapitated the giant head of the demon Shuten-doji which then descended upon his helmet. Unidentified publisher, 1858.

Fine impression. Very good colour and condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya ga

Status: Sold

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Takamatsu Naizen and Tateshina Danjo Masatada grappling during the Battle of Kawanakajima in the mid 16th century. They are heavily entwined in the red ribbons of the standards. Published by Tsujiokaya Bunsuke in 1857.

Fine impression and colour. Light album backing, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya.

Status: Sold

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Minamoto no Yoshitsune, on the right holding a large bow, and Benkei, in the centre, face a large white dragon which emerges amongst lightning bolts from the Koromo River at the battle of Takadachi in 1187. Bunji sannen Oshu Takadachi kassen Koromogawa yori hakuryu ten e noboru. Published by Tsujiokaya Bunsuke (Kinshodo), 1857. A fine design.

Fine impression and colour with mica applied to the dragon and silver rain. Very slight trimming, otherwise fine condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya ga.

Status: Sold

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Higuchi no Jiro Kanemitsu, a retainer of Kiso no Yoshinaka, in the Kiso Mountains encounters a giant white baboon (ohishi) which has been terrorising the countryside and attacks it with a long bamboo spear. The creature hangs from a tree with one of Kanemitsu’s followers in its mouth. Published by Tsujiokaya Bunsuke (Kinshodo), 1858.

Very fine impression and colour. Fine condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya ga.

Status: Sold

A dramatic triptych: Kyokyaku Suikoden no uchi: Kogakure no Kiritaro yojutsu o motte sugata o kakasu. The Kyokyaku Suikoden: Kogakure no Kiritaro hiding himself by using witchcraft. The snake, with Kiritaro standing on him, has emanated from the kago in the centre sheet to the confusion of the three attackers: Waniguchi Jinsuke (centre) and Masakino Torazo and Kazama Hanjiro. A stream of rats is emitted from the snake’s mouth. I have not been able to source this story. Published by Kameya Iwakuchi, 1861. Rare.

Fine impression. Very good colour. Sumi marks au verso showing through slightly, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya ga.

Status: Sold

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Yoshida Sadaemon Kanesada slicing arrows in half with his sword from a set Gishi Meimei jitsu den, “Biographies of Loyal Followers [aka The 47 Ronin].” The series published by Tsujiokaya Bunsuke, 1860.

Extremely fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya ga.

Status: Sold

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The young Kintaro, aka, Kintoki, Sakata Kaidomaru. He is shown fighting a giant carp in a waterfall from a series: Honcho musha kagami, Kintaro, “ Mirror of Warriors of Our Country, Kintaro.” This child of superhuman strength is often depicted with the animals living on Ashigara mountain where he honed his fighting skills and was spotted by Minamoto Yorimitsu (944-1021), under whom he went on to serve.Yoshitsuya was a pupil of Kuniyoshi and this print can be compared to a famous design by Kuniyoshi of the same subject published in 1836. Published by Tsujiokaya Bunsuke, 7/1856.

Very good impression and colour. Slight creasing, otherwise good condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya ga.

Status: Sold

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An extremely rare print by this pupil of Kuniyoshi: Nobori ryu; kudari ryu, “Dragon going up [in the sky]; dragon going down [to the earth].” The most popular of Japanese subjects, printed in sumi and red. Published by Shimizuya Tsunejiro, 1849-50. This is the first time I have I catalogued this design.

Very good impression and colour. Minor creasing and slight adhesive mark at right edge. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya ga.

Status: Sold

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Oeyama Shuten doji. Shows Minamoto no Raiko and his four retainers, from left to right: Sakata no Kintoki, Usui no Sadamitsu, Watanabe no Tsuna and Urabe no Suyetake on Oyeyama, “Devil’s Mountain.” In the year 995 the Emperor commanded Raiko to kill the beast who had been kidnapping and eating young maidens around Kyoto. They accomplished this by dressing as priests and getting Shuten-doji incapacitated with alcohol. Raiko has just decapitated the giant head of the demon which then descends on his helmet which saves him. Published 1855 by Kiya Sojiro . A fine design.

Fine impression and colour. Expert edge repair at top right edge of first sheet, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya ga.

Status: Sold

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A triptych with title: Ryozoku shinzan yojutsu kurabe no zu, “A Picture of the Two Enemies in a Witchcraft Match in the Deep Mountain.” Shows Hakamadare Yasusuke and Kidomaru fighting with magic. Yoshitoshi designed a vertical diptych of the same subject in 1887. Published 1860 by Tsutaya Kichizo. A wonderful design.

Very good impression and colour. Slight trimming and minor corner defects, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya.

Status: Sold

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A triptych with title Taiheiki Yakiyama-Goye no zue, “Picture of the Slope of Burning Mountain in the Taiheiki.” Sato Masakiyo ( = Kato Kiyomasa ), far left, and his men encountering a monstrous serpent surrounded by bats and flying goblins on a haunted mountain . Published by Kagaya Kichibei, 5/1861.

Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya ga.

Status: Sold

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Amidst lightning bolts a large white dragon emerges from the Koromo River before Yoshitsune and his followers at the battle of Takatachi in Mutsu Province in 1187. Yoshitsune’s loyal retainer, Benkei, is in the centre wearing a white monk’s cowl and holding his personal standard with Buddhist prayer wheel on the top. To the right is Yoshitsune in full armour. Published by Kinshodo in 1857. A fine design.

Very fine impression with mica applied to the dragon. Fine colour and condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya ga.

Status: Sold

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A triptych with title: Ryozoku shinzan yojutsu kurabe no zu, “A Picture of the Two Enemies in a Witchcraft Match in the Deep Mountain”. Shows Hakamadare Yasusuke and Kidomaru fighting with magic. Yoshitoshi designed a vertical diptych of the same subject in 1887. Published 1860 by Tsutaya Kichizo. A wonderful design.

Very good impression and colour. Slight trimming and minor corner defects, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya.

Status: Sold