Minamoto no Yoshitsune Rescuing Kenrei Mon’in during the Battle of Dannoura 1889

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi created this woodblock print depicting Minamoto no Yoshitsune rescuing Kenrei Mon’in during the Battle of Dannoura sometime between 1883 and 1886. Here, the artist recalls a key moment in the Genpei War, a 12th-century conflict that shaped Japan’s political landscape for centuries to come. Visual codes are employed to create meaning: the arrows represent danger and conflict. Kenrei Mon’in is shown in a somber, withdrawn state. Yoshitsune is depicted as a brave and capable warrior. Prints like this played a crucial role in shaping historical memory and cultural identity during the Meiji era, a time when Japan was modernizing and renegotiating its relationship with its past. Yoshitoshi's print would have been consumed as both entertainment and as a history lesson. To understand this image, we need to research the history of the Genpei War and the role of prints in shaping public opinion during the Meiji era. By exploring these social and institutional contexts, we can gain a deeper appreciation of the complex meanings embedded in this seemingly simple woodblock print.