Fighting Bulls in Iyo

This print depicts tōgyū, the traditional bull-fighting practice of Iyo Province — the historical name for the region that is now Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. Unlike the Spanish corrida, tōgyū pits two bulls against each other, with the contest decided when one retreats; the tradition in Iyo dates back centuries and continues in the present day. As a subject it aligns with Sekino's interest in regional folk culture and the traditions of rural Japan that modernization was transforming. Compositionally, two large animals in physical confrontation present a challenge of mass, weight, and dynamic tension that is markedly different from Sekino's portrait and landscape work. The black or dark-brown hides of the bulls would require careful manipulation of ink density and surface grain to convey muscular volume. The crowd or arena setting, whether detailed or schematic, would situate the contest within its social context.