The Wrestler Onogawa Kisaburō Blowing Smoke at a One-Eyed Monster 1865

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi created this woodblock print depicting the wrestler Onogawa Kisaburō in the late 19th century. The image merges the earthly prowess of a sumo wrestler with the supernatural, characteristic of ukiyo-e art during this period. Here, Onogawa is shown exhaling smoke directly into the face of a one-eyed monster. Yoshitoshi was deeply affected by the social and political upheavals of the Meiji Restoration, and we can read this print as a reflection of cultural anxieties. The wrestler, a symbol of Japanese strength, confronts a grotesque figure from folklore, which perhaps embodies the challenges facing traditional society amidst rapid modernization. Yoshitoshi renders Onogawa with hyper-masculine features, challenging traditional representations of beauty. The act of blowing smoke can be interpreted as an assertion of dominance, but it also highlights the vulnerability of confronting the unknown. What does it feel like to meet one's fears head-on, armed with only one's strength and breath? This print reflects a period of intense transformation, capturing both the resilience and uncertainty of identity during Japan's shift into modernity.