Watanabe no tsuna to ibaraki 1880

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi created this woodblock print, Watanabe no tsuna to ibaraki, during a time of rapid modernization in Japan. The print depicts a scene from Japanese folklore, one that is laced with gendered power dynamics. The story tells of Ibaraki-dōji, a female demon, who disguises herself as an elderly woman to trick the warrior Watanabe no Tsuna. Here we see Ibaraki peering into a chest, perhaps a container for her stolen goods. Yoshitoshi beautifully renders her conflicted vulnerability as she is caught between worlds. In traditional narratives, female demons often embody disruptive forces. Yet Yoshitoshi’s print encourages us to look beyond these stereotypes. There is a sense of the artist humanizing the demon, portraying her with a complexity that transcends the typical good versus evil dichotomy. Yoshitoshi asks us to consider the stories we tell ourselves about power, gender, and the monsters we create. The scene is both unsettling and deeply moving, prompting reflection on the societal forces that shape our perceptions and fears.