Honnoji, Amagasaki Kotokuji 本能寺／尼崎高徳寺 / Taikoki no uchi 太閤記の内

This print belongs to Gekko's Taikoki series, illustrating episodes from the chronicles of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The dual title references two pivotal moments in the 1582 Honnoji Incident: the burning of Honnoji temple in Kyoto, where Oda Nobunaga perished at the hands of Akechi Mitsuhide, and Kotokuji in Amagasaki, where Mitsuhide was later ambushed and killed. Gekko depicts these warrior subjects in a vigorous musha-e tradition, likely employing bold outlines, dramatic postures, and strong contrasting pigments characteristic of Meiji-era battle illustration. The composition probably juxtaposes the architectural setting of a temple compound against the dynamic movement of armored figures. Gekko's Taikoki prints were among his most popular historical subjects, combining narrative drama with the visual conventions established by earlier woodblock print artists such as Utagawa Kuniyoshi.