Bijin Urashima and the Seven Fortune Beings - Totoya Hokkei

A refined surimono woodblock print by Totoya Hokkei, featuring a woman in the guise of the legendary fisherman Urashima Taro, surrounded by symbols of the Seven Fortune Beings.

This woodblock print by Totoya Hokkei is a fine example of surimono, a genre of privately commissioned prints often distributed among poetry circles. Hokkei, a pupil of Katsushika Hokusai, adopted his master's attention to detail while developing a distinct approach to composition and narrative. The work depicts a bijin, or beautiful woman, who adopts the guise of Urashima Taro, the legendary fisherman from Japanese folklore. She is shown with a fishing rod and a sea bream, symbols associated with the tale of Urashima and the god Ebisu.

The composition incorporates elements related to the Shichi-fuku-jin, or Seven Fortune Beings. In the background, a hanging scroll displays the image of Fukurokuju, a deity of longevity, accompanied by a deer. Below, small figures play in a domestic setting, grounding the mythological references within a contemporary Edo-period interior. The inclusion of a turtle, another symbol of longevity and a central figure in the Urashima myth, adds a layer of visual storytelling to the scene.

Hokkei uses a refined colour palette and precise line work, characteristic of the high-quality production standards required for surimono. The print features calligraphic text, which likely includes kyoka, a form of humorous or satirical waka poetry popular among the literati of the time. The balance between the central figure and the surrounding symbolic objects demonstrates the artist's ability to weave complex cultural references into a single, cohesive image. This print serves as a window into the intellectual and artistic pursuits of the Edo period, where folklore and contemporary fashion intersected in the private sphere of the urban elite.