Background
The original story was based on a real incident in 1804, which involved the lord of Akashi and a hunter named Gennai.
Honobonoto ura no asagiri (Daybreak hidden on the bay by morning fog: 仏暁浦朝霧) is one of many katakiuchi-mono (revenge-killing plays: 敵討物; also called adauchi-mono: 仇打ち物), a subgenre of Kabuki and Bunraku, plays featuring samurai vendettas. Tales about Kowari Dennai involve an attempted usurpation of the leadership of the Aboshi clan by a villain named Karahashi, an ally of the Aboshi clan, to steal the clan treasures and install his son as leader. In Act 3, Kowari Dennai, a hunter who is a relative of the true heir, travels to the Aboshi domains to terminate the plot and settle the succession.
Design
Rikan II strikes a familiar though dramatic pose at the edge of a rock formation high above a group of porters carrying supplies for the Aboshi clan. Rikan's stance and costume, and the details of the setting, combine to qualify as "forms" (kata), a standard manner of acting or dressing in a particular role, or specific attributes of scenery and props. Kabuki assigns great value to these conventionalized, fixed forms as essential elements of performance style. In kamigata-e, there were several different artists who depicted actors in this scene, spanning decades, in the same manner, confirming the importance and popularity of the kata among kabuki fans and print collectors. The Arashi lineage had several generations specializing in this role, especially, Rikan I and Rikan II.
Our impression of Kunihiro's print is well preserved with very good colors and a clean surface. The figure of Kowari up front and looming over the travelers below is a most effective graphic device.
References: KNP-6, p. 255
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