The Goblin Shutendoji

Included in Otogi Zoshi, a collection of ancient tales, the story of Shutendoji features the warrior Minamoto no Yorimitsu and his four etainers Watanabe no Tsuna, Sakata no Kintoki, Usui Sadamitsu and Urabe Sukesue (known together as Shitenno, or the Four Heavenly Kings). Legend holds that Yorimitsu and his men, along with Fujiwara no Yasumasa and under the protection of the Shinto gods Hachiman, Sumiyoshi and Kumano, defeated a goblin known as Shutendoji, who abducted young women fom the capital to use as slaves or to eat.

The story is said to have been formed from the Nanbokucho (1333-1392) to Muromachi (1392-1573) period, and many narrative pictures based n the legend (known as "Shutendoji pictures") were produced in the Muromachi period. The work Fans with Shutendoji Pictures (private collection), featured in this exhibition, was formerly pasted onto a pair of six-fold screens. Although the individual pictures are fan-shaped, they bear no fold lines, indicating that they were originally meant as works for appreciation, not for practical use. This set is a precious work consisting of 36 fans depicting scenes from the beginning of the story to Yorimitsu's return to the capital after defeating the goblin. Each scene is accompanied by a serial number, allowing the viewer to follow the story.

This exhibition also includes an Azuchi-Momoyama period narrative picture scroll by a Kano school artist, copies of Muromachi-period work by Kano Motonobu and Edo period work by Kano Tan'yu, as well as woodblock prints by Hishikawa Moronobu for comparison.