Discomfiture of Benkei on Gojo Bridge by Yoshitsune, assisted by the Tengu
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Source:
- Art of Japan
Description
The famous encounter on Gojo Bridge between the boy Ushiwakamaru (later Minamoto no Yoshitsune) and the warrior-monk Benkei is one of Japan's most beloved origin stories: the young prodigy, trained in secret by tengu mountain goblins, outmaneuvers the formidable Benkei and wins him as a lifelong retainer. Kuniyoshi depicts the moonlit bridge fight with the supernatural assistance of the tengu visible in the composition, adding a mythological dimension to the historical legend. The tengu's role as martial instructor made this a subject rich in both action and spiritual implication.
More Prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi
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Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Discomfiture of Benkei on Gojo Bridge by Yoshitsune, assisted by the Tengu was created by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳).
Discomfiture of Benkei on Gojo Bridge by Yoshitsune, assisted by the Tengu depicts landscapes, bridges, and mythology.