Original Toyokuni III/Kunisada (1786 - 1864) Japanese Woodblock Print
Long-necked Demon, 1857
Series: Titles of Dance Descriptions

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Fantastic kabuki scene of a long-necked demon, called a rokurokubi, confronting a kneeling beauty in a scene form the play "Kasane ogi chiyo no Matsuwaka." Appearing as ordinary human beings by day, at night rokurokubi can extend their necks several meters long to scare or spy on people. Here, the demon's long neck stretches from behind a folding screen at lower left and through a window to float above the group, carrying a cloth-wrapped parcel in her mouth. The samurai kneeling at lower right reaches for his sword as he eyes the spirit. The actors are Bando Mitsugoro IV, Bando Tamasaburo (?), and Ichikawa Ichizo III (twice), in the roles of Riyaushi Amikura, Yayoi hime, Amikura imoto Otsuru, and Shinden Umejiro.

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