Kunichika Series: “Thirty Six Tokyo Restaurants”, 1870-71
Signature: 国周筆 Kunichika hitsu; Date: 1870-1871 明治04 (1871) / 06 Censor seal 未六改; Publisher: 万屋 孫兵衛 Yorozuya Magobē; Carver: 片田彫長 Katada Chojirō
This fairly ambitious series isn’t on the same scale as Hiroshige’s “53 Stations of the Tokaidō” but it is nevertheless a fairly big one to try to collect. I think I’m approaching 50% but they do tend to sell for quite a bit of money these days so I am slowing down!
This typical bijin-ga (beautiful women) series, matches a restaurant, which presumably paid a fee to be included in the series, with a beautiful and notable geisha of the day. I particularly love the vivid red hemp-leaf (asa-no-ha) pattern in the background and the subtly drawn plants with lovely bokashi fades.
The Dengaku Restaurant at Izubun – Otsuru of Shimbashi Reading a Book
The Restaurant in Shitaya, with the Geisha Kotori of Shitaya
The Suigetsu-ro Restaurant in Kobikicho, with the Geisha Kikusaka of Motodaikumachi
The Restaurant in Mukojima, with the Geisha ???
The Umekawa Restaurant in Yanagibashi, with the Geisha of Yanagibashi
The Manpachi-ro Restaurant in Yanagihashi, with the Geisha of Yanagibashi
The Hiramatsu Restaurant in Nihonzutsumi, with the Geisha Okame of Nihonbashi
The Aoyagi Restaurant in HigashiRyogoku, with the Geisha ???
亀と川■小■な – 東両国 青柳
The Aoyagi Restaurant in HigashiRyogoku, with the Geisha ???
The Kagetsutei Restaurant, with Geisha Machi of the Hoteiya in Nihonbashi
Censor’s seal: 未四改 Goat 4 aratame; carver: Katada Hori Chô 片田彫長; date 1871 (Meiji 4), 4th month; pub Yorozuya Magobei 万屋孫兵衛
The Nakamuraya Restaurant in Higashiryogoku, with the Geisha Shizu of the Yanagihashi
明治３年(１８７０年)
The Mansei-ro Restaurant in Takanawa, with the Geisha Miyoshi of Ootaya in Iikura
The Ariake-ro Restaurant in Imado, with the Geisha Mami of Saruwaka
The Sumiyasu Restaurant with the Geisha Kogiku of Tamanoya & Iku of Ioya in Motodaikumachi
The Iseta Restaurant in Kayabacho, with the Geisha Kume of Yoshimachi
The Manrin-ro Restaurant in Shinagawa, with the Geisha ???
Censor 午閏十改
The Tomoeya Restaurant in Daidaichi, with the Geisha Shichi of Yanagibashi.
Censor 午閏十改 Horse intercalary aratame; carver なし no mark; pub Yorozuya Magobei 万屋孫兵衛 ; date 1870 (Meiji 3), intercalary 10th month
The Restaurant in Kajicho, with the Geisha Kogane of Nakahashi
