YOJIRO THE MONKEY TRAINER

Medium:: Woodblock print
Format:: Oban
Publisher:: Doi Sadaichi
Edition:: Published by Watanabe Shozaburo

Source:

Typical Price

Koitsu's atmospheric night and temple scenes are his most sought-after subjects. Doi Hangaten first editions (1930s) are the most desirable; Watanabe editions are more common.

Later printings: $500–$1,500
Good lifetime editions: $1,500–$4,000
First editions, night scenes, exceptional condition: $4,000–$12,000

Description

This [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock print by Tsuchiya Koitsu depicts Yojiro, a monkey trainer, with his performing animal. Street entertainment featuring trained monkeys, known as sarumawashi, has roots stretching back to the Heian period and remained a familiar sight in Japan well into the modern era. Koitsu captures the relationship between handler and animal with a warmth that suggests genuine affection rather than mere spectacle. The [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradation technique creates atmospheric depth around the figures, softening the background while keeping the central interaction sharply defined. Yojiro's costume and posture convey the itinerant performer's life, while the monkey's alert pose suggests the intelligence and training that made these acts popular at festivals and on street corners. The print preserves a vanishing form of traditional entertainment with documentary sensitivity.