Gojobashi no Tsuki (Gojo Bridge Moon)

This print is part of Yoshitoshi's famous series "100 Aspects of the Moon" which depicts scenes from traditional Chinese and Japanese history and lore. In a scene from the Noh play "Benkei on the Bridge", the high-born child Minamoto Ushikawa defends the Gojo Bridge in Kyoto against the warrior-priest Benkei. Benkei, unable to defeat Ushikawa and realizing the birth status of the boy, surrenders. Ushikawa later became the great General Minamoto Yoshitsume (1159-1189). Yoshitoshi was intrigued by this story, depicting its scenes in several other works.