Het spook van Sakura no Kiuchi Sogoro Ichikawa Udanji wreekt zich op krijgers van de Shogun 1893

This triptych by Toyohara Kunichika depicts a scene from the Japanese kabuki theatre. Kunichika was a leading printmaker of the Meiji era, a time of rapid modernization and cultural change in Japan. His work often captured the drama and spectacle of the stage, reflecting the complex intersection of tradition and modernity that defined the era. Here, we see Ichikawa Udanji as the ghost of Sakura Sogoro, a folk hero who sacrificed himself to petition the Shogun on behalf of impoverished peasants. The stark contrast between the ghostly figure and the terrified warriors embodies the tension between the spiritual realm and the earthly power structures of the Shogunate. Kunichika masterfully portrays the emotional intensity of the scene through the actors’ expressive gestures and costumes. The image encapsulates the spirit of resistance against oppression while tapping into deep-seated cultural beliefs about justice, revenge, and the supernatural.