Haruka and Haruji of the Kadotamaya as Soga no Goro and Asaina Saburo in the armor-pulling scene, from the series "Comic Performances by the Entertainers of the Pleasure Quarters at the Niwaka Festival (Seiro geiko niwaka kyogen zukushi)"

Musicians from Tamaya Yahachi and hobby-horse dancers from Daimon Fujiya, from the series "Comic Performances by the Entertainers of the Pleasure Quarters at the Niwaka Festival (Seiro geiko niwaka kyogen zukushi)"

Art Institute of Chicago

The Actors Sawamura Sojuro III as Kusunoki Masatsura and Arashi Murajiro as Ben no Naishi, in the shosa "Sode Furu Yuki Yoshino Shui," performed at the Nakamura Theater in the eleventh month, 1786

Art Institute of Chicago

The Actors Arashi Sangoro II as Hojo Tokiyori (right), and Otani Hiroji III as Koga Saburo (left), in the Play Kono Hana Yotsugi no Hachi no Ki, Performed at the Ichimura Theater in the Eleventh Month, 1771

Art Institute of Chicago

Actors Representing the Feat of Asahina Breaking the Armer of Soga no Goro (Hirakawa-cho Yamamoto-cho kusazuribiki odori yatai) from the series The Festival of the Sanno Shrine (Sanno go-sairei)

Art Institute of Chicago

Actors Nakamura Utaemon III as Mino no Shōkurō, Ichikawa Ebijūrō I as Gantetsu, actually Miura Arajirō, and Nakamura Karoku I as the Courtesan Hinazuru, actually Shōkurō’s wife Kochō

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Nui and Chiyo from Daimon Fujiya performing the hobby-horse dance, from the series "Comic Performances by the Entertainers of the Pleasure Quarters at the Niwaka Festival (Seiro geiko niwaka kyogen zukushi)"

Art Institute of Chicago

The Actors Kasaya Matakuro II as Hagun Taro (right), Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Izutsu no Suke Narihira (center), and Nakamura Nakazo I as Kose no Kanaoka Disguised as Sogoro the Charcoal Maker, in the Play Kuni no Hana Ono no Itsumoji, Performed at the Nakamura Theater in the Eleventh Month, 1771

Art Institute of Chicago

The Actors Nakamura Nakazo I as Omi no Kotoda (right), and Otani Hiroji III as Bamba no Chuda (left), in the Joruri "Sono Chidori Yowa no Kamisuki" (The Plovers: Combing Hair at Midnight), from Part Two of the Play O-atsurae-zome Soga no Hinagata (A Soga Pattern Dyed to Order), Performed at the Nakamura Theater from the Tenth Day of the Third Month, 1774

Art Institute of Chicago

The Actors Sawamura Sojuro III as Soga no Juro, Osagawa Tsuneyo II as Oiso no Tora, Azuma Tozo III as Miura Katagai, and Otani Tokuji I as Danzaburo, in the joruri "Chidorigake Koi no Tamaboko," performed at the Ichimura Theater in the first month, 1784

Art Institute of Chicago

The Actor Sakata Hangoro II as the Sumo Wrestler Kujaku Saburo Narihira (?) in the Play Sugata no Hana Yuki no Kuronushi (?), Performed at the Ichimura Theater (?) in the Eleventh Month, 1776 (?)

Art Institute of Chicago

The Actors Nakamura Nakazo I as Hata Rokurozaemon Disguised as the Samurai's Manservant (Yakko) Igaguri Hanehei (left), and Nakamura Noshio I as the Lady-in-Waiting Koto no Naishi (right), in the Dance Sequence "Sodegasa Momiji no Tekuda" (Umbrella Sleeves: Coquettish Tricks at Maple Time), from the Fourth Act of the Play Hikitsurete Yagoe Taiheiki (The War Tale Taiheiki: With Din and Clamor of Battle), Performed at the Morita Theater in the Eleventh Month, 1776

Art Institute of Chicago

The Actors Nakamura Sukegoro II as Matano no Goro (right), Onoe Kikugoro I as Soga no Taro (center), and Otani Hiroji III as Kawazu no Saburo (left), in the Play Myoto-giku Izu no Kisewata, Performed at the Ichimura Theater in the Eleventh Month, 1770

Art Institute of Chicago