The exhibition features ukiyoe depicting Minamoto no Yoritomo and his warriors under the title of "Minamoto no Yoritomo raised his army" and is on view from Apr.26～July 10, 2022.
The title of the woodblock print above is "Minamoto no Yoritomo" from the series '100 Famous Warriors' by UTAGAWA Kuniyoshi (1797～1861)
With a lot of assistance of supportive bando warriors (warriors in the present-day Kanto area), Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147～1199) established the Kamakura bakufu, or the Japanese feudal goverment headed by a shogun and set up a military government in 1192 after defeating the Taira clan who had been in power.
The feudal age in Japan lasted until the middle of the 19th century.
The two warriors will greet you when you go into the museum. They are replicas made of cardboard and made by the volunteers.
The woodblock print above is 'Self-portrait' by HISHIKAWA Moronobu (1630?～1694).
Since he succeeded in massproducing and popularizing woodblock prints of ukiyoe, it is said that 'Moronobu is a father of ukiyoe'.
The title of the woodblock print is " A night attack at Yamaki kan in Izu" by UTAGAWA Kuniyoshi 歌川国芳（1798～1861). Kuniyoshi depicted warriors of Yoritomo attacking Yamamoto Kanetaka at Yamaki kan on August 17, 1180, which was the first battle since Yoritomo had raised his army.
The woodblock print above depicted a battle at Mt. Ishibashiyama, in Izu (伊豆) province, which was Yoritomo's first place of battle on August 23, 1180 and Yoritomo's army was defeated. Consequently he fled to Awa (south area of present-day Chiba) by boat on August 29. It was drawn by UTAGAWA Kunitora 歌川国虎 (The date of birth and death unknown) who was a disciple of UTAGAWA Toyokuni (1769～1825)
The title of the woodblock print above is "Yoritomo visits Awa Sunosaki Shrine 洲崎神社" by UTAGAWA Yoshitsuya (The date of birth and death unknown) who was a disciple of UTAGAWA Kuniyoshi.
Yoritomo spent the next six weeks raising a new army and arrived at Kamakura.
In 1185 Yoritomo defeated the Taira clan at the Battle of Dan-no-ura taken place in Shimonoseki Strait off the southern tip of Honshu, and established bakufu at Kamakura in 1192.
UTAGAWA Toyokuni III (1786～1865) depicted three braves: Minamoto no Yorinori (left), Minamoto no Yoritomo (center), Minamoto no Yoshitsune (right)
Both Noriyori and Yoshitsune grearly contributed to the battles to defeat the Taira clan.
The title of the woodblock print above is "Hojo Tokimasa" from the series 'Courageous Warriors (Yoshitoshi musha burui 芳年武者無類)'
Yoshitoshi depicted the scene when Hojo Tokimasa went to Benzaiten (弁財天) , or Goddess of Good Fortune ) in Enoshima, wishing for the prosperity of his descendants, when a noble lady suddenly appeared in front of him and gave him a message that his wish would come true only if he didn't show any outrageous conducts. Then she changed herself into a dragon and disappeared, leaving three pieces of scale (鱗) on the fan, or Sense which he was offering.
The origin of Hojos's crest goes back to three scales in this amusing anecdote.
Hojo Tokimasa was the stepfather of Yoritomo. Yoritomo married Hojo Masako who was a daughter of Tokimasa.
Pictures are from the brochure published by the museum.
For further information please access ::::::鋸南町菱川師宣記念館
call 0470-55-4061
516 Yoshihama Kyonan-machi Awa-gun Chiba Pref.