Ichikawa Ennosuke III as the demon of Adachigahara in the play "Kurozuka"

This print depicts Ichikawa Ennosuke III (b. 1939) — later En'ō II — as the demon hag of Adachigahara in 'Kurozuka,' the kabuki adaptation of the Noh play also performed as 'Adachigahara.' The role transforms a lone old woman, encountered by travelling priests on a moor, into a flesh-eating demon when her identity is discovered. Kokei's [yakusha-e](/glossary/yakusha-e) likely captures the moment of revelation, when the dishevelled white hair, sunken cheeks, and bared teeth replace the earlier mask of hospitality. Ōkubi-e composition concentrates the viewer's attention on the transformation, the kumadori makeup rendered through layered keyblock impressions on ganpi paper. Selective application of mica or gofun would heighten the spectral quality of the white hair against the dark indigo ground typical of demon scenes. Ennosuke III, known for super-kabuki productions and his innovations within the Omodakaya line, was a recurring subject in Kokei's Kabuki-za residency portraits — fitting for a sōsaku-hanga artist documenting an actor associated with theatrical experimentation.