Item from the Mokuhankan Flea Market

Roben Waterfall

Size: 45.5cm by 28.0cm (17.91 in by 11.02 in) | Enlargement | Shipping Code: [L] ?

Designer: Katsushika Hokusai

Era: Late Showa | Currency: $ / £ / €

Price: ¥ 23,000$ 205.00£ 165.00€ 189.00 [Item has been sold]

Description: This print is from "Famous Places of the Province", published by Kaiseisha in 1981. It consists of 19 prints from two series by Katsushika Hokusai: 11 prints from "Famous Bridges in the Provinces" and 8 prints from "A Tour of Waterfalls". The prints are slightly larger than o-ban prints, giving them a more powerful impression.

Pilgrims prepare to visit Ōyama Temple on Ōyama Mountain in Sagami Province by performing a purification ritual under Rōben Waterfall (named after Buddhist monk Rōben (689-773)).

The Minneapolis Institute of Art gives the following description of the sword-like objects some of the pilgrims are holding:

"This image shows pilgrims performing ritual purification (mizugori) in Rōben Falls before ascending the mountain to visit Ōyama Temple edifices. Many of them carry long wooden sword-like objects, a custom recalling the warrior Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-99), who is said to have had a wooden sword purified at the temple in hopes that this would ensure victory in battle. The pilgrims’ “swords,” which are inscribed with prayers, would have been offered at the temple following the ritual ablutions illustrated here."

The mon (crest) of the publisher, Eijudo (永寿堂), can be seen in two places in the print, and the first two characters (永寿) may also be hidden... can you spot them?

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