Ichikawa Ebizō as the itinerant monk Ryōzan 1795

Tōshūsai Sharaku created this print depicting Ichikawa Ebizō as the itinerant monk Ryōzan. Note the monk's staff, adorned with metal rings. The rings, when shaken, produce a distinctive sound, originally intended to alert small creatures on the path, preventing them from being inadvertently stepped upon. This bell-topped staff, or khakkhara, as it is known, extends far beyond its practical function; it resonates with symbolic significance. The khakkhara appears as a symbol of asceticism, resonating through the ages in various religious contexts. Think of the staffs carried by the Christian pilgrims in medieval art, or the scepters brandished by rulers throughout time. Here, the staff is carried with dramatic flair, an emotional amplification which suggests the monk transcends his humble status, and the staff becomes an assertion of spiritual authority. A recurring motif, demonstrating how human beings imbue simple objects with profound emotional and psychological weight.