A database of Edo no Hananari's surimono

From the 1820s until his death in 1836, Mōri Narimoto commissioned popular artists such as Utagawa Kunisada, Keisai Eisen and Utagawa Kuniyoshi to produce a great number of private editions of kyōka surimono. As well as being the daimyo of Chōshū, Narimoto was also an accomplished kyōka poet who used the pen name Edo no Hananari in his artistic and cultural pursuits. In modern times, the true identity of Edo no Hananari was forgotten and remained obscure for a long while with ukiyo-e researchers even speculating that he might have been ‘someone connected with music’ due to the fact that some of his commissions featured his own lyrics for popular ballads (zokuyō).
There are several instances in which Narimoto’s pen name appears in historical records relating to the Mōri family, so it is somewhat surprising that Hananari’s identity should have remained a mystery for so long. Undoubtedly, one contributing factor was that no examples of his surimono are to be found in any of the main cultural institutions in the local area such as the Yamaguchi Prefectural Archives, the Mohri Museum and the Hagi Uragami Museum. The details of transmission are unclear, but along with many other ukiyo-e, a large proportion of the surimono commissioned by Narimoto ended up in the West. There is a record from the Taishō period (in Narimotokō ogesakushū) of a resident of Yamaguchi prefecture seeing some of Narimoto’s surimono, but afterwards the existence of these works appears to have been forgotten in Japan, along with the knowledge in ukiyo-e circles that Narimoto and Hananari were one and the same person.
If we include pictures painted by hand and other related works, the number of surimono commissioned by Hananari exceeds 80. These works are obviously important in the study of art and literature and are also valuable historical documents relating to the Chōshū region. However, when one considers that they were produced by a daimyo in the first half of the nineteenth century, they enable us to gain a perspective that extends beyond any one particular field of study. They show how an interest in poetry and art was able to break down barriers of social status and class as such works could not have been produced without Narimoto interacting in his private life with many different types of people. As such, they are an invaluable resource for helping us understand important aspects of Edo culture and society. At an exhibition of surimono held at Museum Rietberg in Zurich in 2008 and in response to a request by John Carpenter, I announced the results of my research that revealed the identity of Ryūōtei Edo no Hananari as Narimoto. Since then I have continued to research this subject, but there is a limit to the number of overseas trips that I can make to track down and examine works related to Narimoto that exist in the West. As a result, I have decided to set up this website to provide general access to the information I have obtained so far about Narimoto, in the hope that it may lead to the discovery of new material both within Japan and overseas.
At this point, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all those who have provided me with their unstinting support ever since my first announcement in 2008, and also to the institutions that have granted me access to their facilities for my research. Please view this website as my attempt to repay to a small degree the kindness that has been shown to me.

Ryūōtei Edo no Hananari — an outline of activities

Mōri Narimoto, the eleventh daimyo of Chōshū, also known as Edo no Hananari, was born in 1794 (Kansei 6) as the grandson on the subsidiary family line of Mōri Shigetaka, the seventh daimyo of Chōshū, and the eldest son of the younger brother of Mōri Haruchika, the eighth daimyo. He was adopted into the family of a retainer, but in 1814 (Bunka 11) was recalled to the Mōri family and was adopted by the tenth daimyo, Mōri Narihiro, in 1819 (Bunsei 2). At this time he took the name Narimoto, incorporating the second part of the shogun Tokugawa Ienari’s name. He succeeded Narihiro as head of the domain in 1824 (Bunsei 7) at the age of 31 (aged 30 according to the Western age count). The tenth daimyo Narihiro, who built a residence called Chinkai’en (literally, ‘the ocean-taming garden’) on 100,000 tsubo (approx. 331 sq. km) of land at Sunamura (present-day Katsushika) on the eastern outskirts of Edo, was a cultured man of letters and it is likely that he influenced and encouraged Narimoto’s interest in kyōka and zokuyō. Mōri Motoyoshi, the daimyo of the subsidiary domain of Hōfu, who composed the kiyomoto music ‘Ume no haru’ (Plum-blossom spring) under the pen name Umenoto Makado, may also have influenced Narimoto, as both men studied under Shikatsube no Mago, a kyōka teacher who counted many men of high rank amongst his followers.
Naturally, Narimoto also composed kanshi, renga and haikai that were the typical cultural pursuits of the samurai class of his day, but it was in the composition of kyōka (also known as haikaika) that he excelled, to the extent that he acted as a judge at poetry contests in Hagi. It appears that kyōka composition for Narimoto was much more than a mere hobby or pastime — it was an invaluable means of communicating with and understanding his retainers and those below his social status as a daimyo.
Let us look at one example of a kyōka by Narimoto that is on display at the Mohri Museum in Hōfu, Yamaguchi prefecture.

春のはじめ雁の庖丁なす膳夫まな箸を板の向こふえ落しつるを祝して
災ひのはしはむかふえ落しつゝにぎりかためしほうてふの国

Haru no hajime gan no hōchō nasu senpu manabashi o ita no mukō e otoshitsuru o shuku shite
Wazawai no hashi wa mukō e otoshitsutsu nigirikatameshi hōchō no kuni

At the beginning of spring, when the chef performing the ritual carving of the duck dropped his long chopsticks behind the chopping board.
Warding off the calamity of the dropped chopsticks, the knife/the domain of Bōchō is held in a firm grip.

By the skillful use of this kyōka with its play on the words wazawai no hashi (‘calamity of the chopsticks’ and ‘the beginning of calamity’) and hōchō (‘knife’ and ‘Bōchō’, the area comprising Chōshū and its subsidiary domain of Hōfu), Narimoto was able to transform this very public and inauspicious mistake into an occasion to celebrate the safe handling and control of his domain. In diverting blame from the unfortunate chef and turning a potentially negative event to his advantage, it reveals much about Narimoto’s character.
Narimoto died from a sudden illness at his castle in Hagi on the eighth day of the ninth month of 1836 (Tenpo 7) at the age of 43 (aged 42 according to the Western age count). As his earliest surimono in the name of Edo no Hananari were produced around 1821 (Bunsei 4) just three years before becoming daimyo, it means that the majority of his numerous commissions were carried out during his time in office.
Mention is made of Edo no Hananari’s kyōka surimono in a letter written by the Edo gesaku author Santō Kyōzan to Suzuki Bokushi in Echigo province. In his letter dated the sixteenth day of the third month of 1830 (Bunsei 13), Kyōzan describes the surimono he has sent to Bokushi as follows:

春興のすりもの五枚進呈仕候。是は　松平大膳太夫様のすりもの也。
俳諧歌の御名
　柳桜亭花也君といふ。
　柳花亭風姿瑞垣
　土筆亭和気有丈　御替名也。
　　　団十郎菊五郎久米三郎当春浪花に居り候ゆゑの御うたなり。

Shunkyō no surimono gomai shintei tsukamatsurisōrō. Kore wa Matsudaira Daizen Dayūsama no surimono
. 　Haikaika no onna
　Ryūōtei Hananarigimi to iu.
　Ryūkatei Fūshi no Mizugaki
　Tsukushitei Wake no Aritake onkaena nari.
　　　Danjūrō Kikugorō Kumesaburō tōshun Naniwa ni orisōrō yue no on’uta nari.

I am sending you five spring surimono. These are surimono commissioned by Matsudaira Daizen Dayū.
His haikaika name:
Ryūōtei Hananari
Alternative versions of his name:
Ryūkatei Fūshi no Mizugaki
Tsukushitei Wake no Aritake
They are poems written for Danjūrō, Kikugorō and Kumesaburō, who are in Naniwa this spring.

From this letter we learn that Ryūōtei Hananari was Narimoto’s pen name (Matsudaira Daizen Dayū was an official name and title used by Narimoto) and that he also used Ryūkatei Fūshi no Mizugaki and Tsukushitei Wake no Aritake as alternative versions. We are told that the surimono feature kyōka about the Kabuki actors Ichikawa Danjūrō VII and Onoe Kikugorō III, and that Iwai Kumesaburō II was in Naniwa (present-day Osaka) that spring.
The surimono in question are no longer to be found amongst Bokushi’s possessions, but it is very likely that they included the triptych below which features the three actors in their roles in the Kabuki play ‘Sukeroku’ under the blossoms of a shidarezakura (weeping cherry).

(Fig.1 Sukeroku under the weeping cherry, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

This conjecture is based on the fact that each of the kyōka in the surimono celebrates the actor’s performances in Naniwa (Danjūrō and Kikugorō had moved to the Kamigata region to find work following a major fire in Edo the previous year) and that the names of the poets correspond exactly to those mentioned in Kyōzan’s letter.
It is likely that Kyōzan sent the surimono to Bokushi on Narimoto’s instructions. One of Kyōzan’s daughters, who was employed as a maid by Narimoto, became his mistress and gave birth to his child. Previously, Kyōzan had been employed as an attendant by the retired daimyo of Tanba Sasayama, and he was also one of the most distinguished pupils of Nomura Kyūsei, the tea ceremony instructor to the Tokugawa family. Hence, he was accustomed to visiting daimyo households and it would have been easy for Narimoto to have given him instructions. Kyōzan specialised in writing kusazōshi, illustrated books in which pictures and text appeared on the same page, and he often worked with Kunisada, Eisen and Kuniyoshi. As these are the three main artists featured in Narimoto’s surimono, it is likely that Kyōzan may also have been involved in their production. Indeed, he may have overseen the practical aspects of their production in Edo at times when Narimoto was travelling between Edo and Hagi due to the sankin kōtai system of ‘alternate attendance’ at the shogunal court.

An introduction to the Hananari surimono

The Hananari surimono were produced from the early Bunsei (1818-30) period until the mid-Tempō (1830-44) period. Many of the early surimono are single sheets featuring kyōka composed by Narimoto with his teacher Magao and his fellow students. In later works we see certain characteristics that reflect Narimoto’s own choices and preferences:

1. Composite pieces made up of a number of surimono.
2. The use of several different pen names.
3. The use of a ‘cherry-blossom butterfly’ crest.
4. The formation of poetry circles (kyōkaren) whose members have the characters for ‘flower (hana)’ and ‘willow (ryū)’ in their names.
5. Some feature lyrics composed by Narimoto for popular ballads (zokuyō).
6. Main subjects are actors (in particular Kikugorō, Kumesaburō and Danjūrō) and beautiful women (especially geisha).

No. 1 can be viewed as a reflection of contemporary trends as composite pieces were also produced by other poetry circles.
Similarly for no. 2, it was not unusual for kyōka poets to make use of several different pen names. For no.3, see the so-called ‘cherry-blossom butterfly’ crest in the top right-hand corner of the picture below.

(Fig.2 The ‘cherry-blossom butterfly’ crest)

The crest, in which the wings of the butterfly are formed of cherry blossom petals, appears either as an imprinted seal on the surimono or as part of the design of the woman’s kimono or hair ornaments in the picture.
Relating to points 4 and 5, there may have been a group of women surrounding Narimoto who shared his interest in kyōka and music, as all the names that have apparently borrowed characters from his pen name are female ones. Some of these are known to be performers of kiyomoto music so it is likely that Narimoto, along with Umenoto Makado, was a patron of such entertainers. In my previously published article, I discussed the possibility that the ‘cherry-blossom butterfly’ crest was the seal used by this group of women. However, I have since discovered an example of the crest in a composite surimono in the Guimet Museum in Paris that belongs to an early period before Narimoto had established links with this group. As a result, I believe we can conclude that this crest was Narimoto’s own personal seal. Concerning the zokuyō lyrics composed by Narimoto, there is much variation in their length, but one that concludes with the line ‘uwakishō dewanai kai na (What fickleness!)’ can be found in several collections of hauta (short pieces for the shamisen) that were published in the late Edo period. Thus, it is clear that at least some of Narimoto’s lyrics escaped the confines of the privately printed surimono for the exclusive use of friends and fellow members of poetry circles and were enjoyed by a much wider audience.
Concerning point 6, there are some early examples of still life and landscape surimono, but almost all the later works feature actors and beautiful women. Of these, actor prints are the most numerous with the majority featuring Ichikawa Danjūrō VII, Onoe Kikugorō III or Iwai Kumesaburō II. Of these, Kikugorō appears the most frequently, so it may be safe to conclude that he was Narimoto’s favourite.

For more detailed information about Narimoto’s life and surimono, please refer to the following two articles:
Tsuda M. 2008. The Daimyo as Kabuki Fan and Kyōka Poet: Surimono Commissioned by Edo no Hananari. In Reading Surimono: The Interplay of Text and Image in Japanese Prints ed. J. Carpenter, 62-71. Zurich: Museum Rietburg; Leiden: Hotei Publishing.

Tsuda M. 2010. Ryūōtei Edo no Hananari (Chōshūhanshu Mōri Narimoto) no kyōka surimono—denki to ‘Narimotokō ogesakushū’ o chūshin ni (The kyōka surimono of Ryūōtei Edo no Hananari (Mōri Narimoto, the daimyo of Chōshū)—focusing on his life and ‘A collection of poems and ballads by the honourable Narimoto’). Ukiyo-e geijutsu 161 (August).

Database – explanatory notes

　　

Surimono ID Number

　 We have divided the surimono into the three categories of ‘actors’, ‘beautiful women’ and ‘others’. Within these categories we have assigned each print a number and provided a brief description of its content along with a transcription of any written text in the picture.

　 　１.　Actors----47 sheets
　　　　　Y1 : Actors + kyōka poem
　　　　　Y2 : Actors + kyōka poem + zokuyō poem
　２.　Beautiful women----26 sheets
　　　　　B1 : + kyōka poem
　　　　　B2 : + kyōka poem + zokuyō poem
　３.　Others----3 sheets
　　　　　O

　　＊You can search the sheets of Y2 category by putting 'Y2-' into the window of 'Key word'.
　　　　　

Abbreviations of Names of Museums and Collections

　　 The abbreviations used to indicate the collections in which the surimono are held are as follows:

　　Berlin: Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (Asian Art Museum, National Museums in Berlin)
　　Chester Beatty: Chester Beatty Library, Dublin
　　Chicago: Institute of Fine Art, Chicago
　　Fitzwilliam: Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge University
　　Guimet: Musée Guimet (Museum Guimet)
　　Harvard: Harvard Art Museum, Harvard University
　　Lusy: Lusy Collection, Museum of Design, Zurich
　　MAK: Österreichisches Museum für angewandte Kunst (Austrian Museum of Applied Arts)
　　MET: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
　　MFA: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
　　Oslo: Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design (The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design)
　　Scotland: National Museum of Scotland
　　神奈川:神奈川県立歴史博物館 (Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History)
　　礫川: 礫川浮世絵美術館 (Koishikawa Ukiyo-e Museum)
　　日本:日本浮世絵博物館 (Japan Ukiyo-e Museum)

Acknowledgement of Copyright of Database Images

I would like to thank the following institutions and collections for their permission to use copyrighted images. Scotland: National Museum of Scotland 　　WESTON: WESTON COLLECTION, Chicago 　　Harvard: Harvard Art Museums / Arthur M. Sackler Museum 　　MFA: Photography © 2017 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 　　Berlin: © Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, photography courtesy of Art Research Center Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto. 　　Fitzwilliam: Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge University Mayumi Tsuda: Mayumi Tsuda Collection

Copyright has been granted by institutions for the use of their images on this database for research purposes only. No copying of images is allowed from this database and permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder in accordance with their directives. Please enquire about use of images from the Mayumi Tsuda Collection.

The reproduction, copying and editing of any part of this website without permission are prohibited. If quoting from the text, please ensure to cite the name of the author, website address and date when viewed.

Copyright © 2016　Mayumi Tsuda.　　 Last updated March 31st 2017

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This database has been made possible by the Keio Gijuku Academic Develop Funds for ‘Research into the art of Mōri Narimoto, the daimyo of Chōshū—focusing on material in Europe and America’.

Translated by Mary Anketell