Sunosaki Matakichi

Stories of Modern Chivalrous Men

Information

Title Sunosaki Matakichi Sunosaki Matakichi 洲之崎亦吉
Series title Stories of Modern Chivalrous Men 近世侠義傳
Artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 月岡芳年 (1839–1892)
Date 10/1865
Publisher Iseya Kisaburō (Man’yōdō) 伊勢屋喜三郎 (万葉堂)
Woodcarver Ōta Tashichi 太田多七
City Edo
Signature Kaisai Yoshitoshi hitsu 魁齋芳年筆
Artist seal paulownia
Censorship seal(s) aratame, Ox 10 改丑十
Publisher’s seal(s) Nantenma 2 Ise-Ki 南てん馬二いせ喜
Blockcutter’s (and/or) printer’s) seal(s) hori Ōta Tashichi 彫太田多七
Inscription

亦吉は房州洲の崎の産義気金鉄にして力量他に起たり父政右エ門身延に詣する帰路小佛にて賊に出逢捨五郎が為に危きを救られ 共に本國に戻し後も再生の恩人なるを以て政右エ門飯岳を訪叓常 亦吉成人ながう賭を好み家に有事稀なれば父これを歎しかば亦吉を飯岳に招き教訓なせしに≪ ≫素此亦吉は政右衛門が養子にて實子の弟政次郎に家を継せん為の業なりと語り終に捨五郎の子分となり飯岡に止まれり。或時繁[sic]世重藏子分数多引連助五郎が門を過せるををり亦吉高下駄を踏て大成碇を引かつぎ濱辺に至る趣なして重藏と顔見合せ小腰をかがめ挨拶なすに敉斤の碇を肩になし五音変ぜね怪力を人々感じけるとなん

Technique & material Woodblock print; full colour print; pigment on paper
Format ōban
Object number SH2018-DM-137
Credit Line Gift of Muck and Mieke Douma
Provenance Gifted to the Japan Museum SieboldHuis in April 2018 by Muck and Mieke Douma

Description

For a description of this series, see Iioka no Sutegorō: https://www.sieboldhuis.org/co...

Sunosaki Matakichi (real name Masakichi) was the right hand man of Iioka no Sutegorō (Sukegorō).

The text gives some details about Masakichi's life.

Matakichi was from Sunosaki in the southern tip of Awa Province (present-day Chiba Prefecture). He was once rescued by Sutegorō and became the latter’s underling (kobun). One day a large group of Shigezō’s henchmen came by Sukegorō’s house. In response, Matakichi grabbed a gigantic, heavy anchor and casually swung it over his shoulder, approached the rival gang and said hello in a friendly manner while taking a light bow, intimidating them with his superhuman strength.

Yoshitoshi depicts him casually holding a massive anchor that seems to weigh a tonne.