Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Dragon Palace: Tawara Tōda Hidesato is Given Three Gifts

Utagawa Kuniyoshi; Publisher: Maruya Kyūshirō

Date

1858, 4th month

Medium

Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Fujiwara no Hidesato was a legendary warrior said to have lived in the 10th century. Famous for his military exploits, he reportedly was asked by the dragon god, the guardian of Lake Biwa, to kill a giant centipede that was terrorizing the lake. After Hidesato accomplished the task, the dragon god invited him to his underwater palace where he presented the warrior with three gifts: a large bell, bolts of silk, and a bag of rice. Emerging from the water riding on the back of a large turtle, Hidesato is shown in this print on his way back from the visit to the underwater palace-shown in the background. Kuniyoshi's detailed depiction of the sea creatures that are swimming around Hidesato and carrying the gifts for him makes this surreal scene look surprisingly plausible. Japan, Asia

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