Aftershocks: Japanese Earthquake Prints (3 of 3)

A Fleeting Hope for Change: Experience Edo’s unshakeable spirit through these satirical prints

Untitled (Magic Hammer of Daikoku, or God of Wealth) (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

How do you mend a broken society?

You’re viewing Aftershocks: Story 3 - A Fleeting Hope for Change

Explore more stories and prints from Aftershocks:

Aftershocks: Story 1 - Shaking Foundations 
Aftershocks: Story 2 - A Spectrum of Emotions

Visit ROM Collections Online to view the full collection in detail.

Untitled (Monster catfish, the deity Kashima, and the kaname-ishi stone) (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Earthquakes, catfishes, and prints?

What do they have to do with each other? In Japanese folk belief, catfishes were associated with earthquakes. 

When these prints, called “catfish prints” or namazu-e, were made in 1855, people in Edo (modern day Tokyo, Japan) told stories of a giant catfish living deep underground causing earthquakes. 

It was usually kept under control by Kashima, a deity that pinned it down with a stone to stop its destruction. 

As the story goes, when Kashima was away for one day during the tenth month of 1855, the catfish shook off the stone and thrashed around. On the surface, Edo was thrown into disarray. 

Look for three main features from the folk belief in these catfish prints:

Actor Nakamura Fukusuke as Fuku of Kaname-ishi (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Look for catfish, symbolizing the cause of the earthquake.

Funny Story of Earthquake (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Look for the deity Kashima, in charge of controlling the catfish.

Untitled (Kashima Deity pressing down giant catfish with Kaname-ishi) (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Look for the kaname-ishi foundation stone, held by the deity Kashima who controls the catfish.

Kashima Osore (Parody of Kashima Dance) - Modified (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

A Fleeting Hope for Change

In this story, you’ll find prints with social themes expressed with satire. These prints show a kind of optimism of townspeople who benefited from disaster, which made them believe that the eartquake was meant to mend social inequity. The hope for change however did not last.

Mercy of Social-Mending Catfish, Maker names unrecorded, 1855, From the collection of: Royal Ontario Museum
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Kashima Osore (Parody of Kashima Dance), Maker names unrecorded, 1855, From the collection of: Royal Ontario Museum
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GOOD AND DIVINE CATFISH. These prints reflect Edo’s positive reactions to the earthquake. In these scenes, look for catfish rescuing people from the debris or bringing a prophecy of social reform as a Shinto priest. These good deeds are cause for celebration and make people do a happy dance.

Mercy of Social-Mending Catfish (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

The catfish rescues townspeople from wreckage after the earthquake. Falling infrastructure is a visual metaphor for the failing social systems and crushing economic inequality that people had been living under in Edo.   

Kashima Osore (Parody of Kashima Dance) (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

To celebrate the coming new year, the Kashima Dance was performed based on a divine message delivered by a Kashima Shinto priest. Here, the catfish is a parody of the priest, who predicts social reform. Once the cause of the disaster, the catfish is now seen as divine.

View English and French subtitles related to the video shown below.

Hear from Dr. Jazmin Scarlett, historical and social volcanologist

Prosperous Treasure Boat (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Enjoy Parodies

The good sense of humour expressed through texts and graphics led to the huge success of the catfish prints. Parodies of popular images and stories from the time made people laugh. 

The Treasure Ship (Takarabune) (1840) by Utagawa HiroshigeRoyal Ontario Museum

This is a typical image of the treasure boat, by Utagawa Hiroshige, The Treasure Ship, around 1840.

Prosperous Treasure Boat (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

The seven people on the boat—carpenter, roofer, plasterer, construction worker, catfish print seller, steeplejack, and courtesan—are a parody of Seven Gods of Happiness because they benefited from the earthquake.

The boat is a catfish!

The figurehead of the boat is a dragon-shaped flame from the fire after the earthquake.

The mast of the boat is made of a damaged storehouse.

Look for waves made of roof tiles fallen from damaged houses!

Untitled (Magic Hammer of Daikoku, or God of Wealth), Maker names unrecorded, 1855, From the collection of: Royal Ontario Museum
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Rich is Less Rich, Artisan is Richer, Maker names unrecorded, 1855, From the collection of: Royal Ontario Museum
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Untitled (Extortion by Catfish), Maker names unrecorded, 1855, From the collection of: Royal Ontario Museum
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EARTHQUAKE AS SOCIAL MENDING? The earthquake brought an opportunity for lower-income households in Edo to access free temporary accommodations or food through emergency government relief or from donations from the wealthy samurai or merchants. This redistribution of wealth in society led some to believe that the earthquake was meant to happen. This situation was known as social mending or yo-naoshi (yo-NA-oshi) in Japanese that would cure the troubled society.

Untitled (Magic Hammer of Daikoku, or God of Wealth) (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Daikoku, one of the seven gods of happiness, steps on the catfish to control the earthquake. He throws money with his magic mallet to Edo townspeople. Their expressions reflect the joy of people who unexpectedly received post-earthquake emergency relief and donations.

Rich is Less Rich, Artisan is Richer (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Coins plop to the ground from the bowels of wealthy merchants. Below, three construction workers pick up the money, asking "shouldn’t we be thankful for the earthquake?"

 Merchants spent money to rebuild while construction workers gained extra income through these infrastructure projects. This redistribution of money was thought to restore balance and cleanse the sick society.  

Untitled (Extortion by Catfish) (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

A wealthy merchant reluctantly gives money to carpenters. Notice a catfish wearing a kimono already holding some money standing proudly on the left. The text in this image is a haiku poem that reads: “The earthquake, didn’t you come to extort the rich?” 

This scene hints at the underlying social tension in society.

Untitled (Neck-Pulling Game between Catfish and the deity Kashima), Maker names unrecorded, 1855, From the collection of: Royal Ontario Museum
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Bird of Hardship, Maker names unrecorded, 1855, From the collection of: Royal Ontario Museum
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CONFLICTS AND CONTRASTS. After the earthquake, the gap widened between those who benefited from the disaster and those who did not. The latter felt a sense of unfairness, as they believed the earthquake was supposed to mend society for all. Catfish prints, created from the perspective of the poor, satirize the conflicts among the townspeople. 

Untitled (Neck-Pulling Game between Catfish and the deity Kashima) (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

A neck-pulling game, a popular drinking party pastime in Edo, puts the catfish in competition with the deity Kashima.

In the background of this print, people who benefited from the earthquake cheer on the catfish while those who suffered cheer on the deity Kashima. 

There is no clear winner—the contrast between competitors and its clever suggestion of social tension became the most appealing feature of this print. 

Bird of Hardship (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

As workers who profited from the earthquake drink and eat catfish, the Bird of Hardship flies down and steals their meal. The bird’s body consists of objects that represent the professions of people who suffered—tea whisk, comb, book, roll of cloth…

The bird stealing food signals the desire for revenge against those who suddenly profited from the earthquake. 

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) and People Who Lost (Right Sheet) (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

This two-sheet print illustrates the contrast between those who benefited from the earthquake (on the left) and those who suffered (on the right). Find out what professions are categorized to each group.

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

 These professions profited as Edo rebuilt the city after disaster. 

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) - Roofer (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Roofer

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) - Roof Tile Setter (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Rooftile Seller

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) - Cartman (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Cartman

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) - Construction Worker (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Construction Worker

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) - Catfish Print Seller (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Earthquake Print Seller

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) - Plasterer (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Plasterer

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) - Workmen's Coat Seller (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Workman's Coat Seller

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) - Tatami Maker (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Tatami Mat Maker

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) - Bone-setter (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Bone-setter

People Who Gained (Left Sheet) - Tempura Stall (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Tempura Stall

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

These professions suffered great losses as Edo recovered after disaster. 

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) - Showman (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Showman

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) - Pouch Maker (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Pouch Maker

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) - Fancy Restaurant (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Fancy Restaurant

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) - Geisha (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Geisha 

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) - Book Rental (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Book Rental

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) - Shamisen Seller (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Shamisen Seller

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) - Kimono Shop (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Kimono Seller

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) - Actor (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Actor

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) - Maki-e Lacquerer (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Maki-e Lacquerer

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) - Monkey Showman (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Monkey Showman

People Who Lost (Right Sheet) - Tea Master (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Tea Master

Dialogue Between Earthquake Catfish and Commodore Perry (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

This image satirizes two major social events in Edo around the time of the earthquake: 

on the left a catfish symbolizes the Ansei earthquake in 1855

and on the right Commodore Matthew Perry who led American warships to force Japan to open to international trading in 1853. The two characters engage in a pulling-neck game.

Look beneath the taut cord to find the judge of this game (a plasterer who gained from the disaster). He declares the catfish the winner. 

The earthquake and the arrival of Commodore Perry in Japan caused anxiety, tension, and strain in Edo society. Despite negative consequences of these events, this print suggests the benefits from the earthquake were favoured by Edo townspeople.

View English and French subtitles related to the video shown below.

Hear from Dr. Greg Smits, historian of science (earthquakes in Japan) and specialist of early modern East Asian studies 

Cherry Blossoms on the Banks of the Tama River, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (1856) by Utagawa HiroshigeRoyal Ontario Museum

A Different Vision of Edo

Made just four months after the earthquake, this print with blossoming cherry trees suggests a peaceful society. In reality, catfish prints disappeared through government bans after two months. The memory of disaster began to fade, and so did the hope for lasting social change.

Untitled (Magic Hammer of Daikoku, or God of Wealth) (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

Comedy and satire can bring attention to important causes. What recent political cartoon or meme prompted you think differently about an issue? 

Bird of Hardship (1855) by Maker names unrecordedRoyal Ontario Museum

How do you mend a broken society?

You’re viewing Aftershocks: Story 3 - A Fleeting Hope for Change

Explore more stories and prints from Aftershocks:

Aftershocks: Story 1 - Shaking Foundations
Aftershocks: Story 2 - A Spectrum of Emotions

Visit ROM Collections Online to view the full collection in detail.

Credits: Story

Co-Presenter: 
The Japan Foundation, Toronto

Guest Video Contributors:
Kristen Bos
Dr. Jazmin Scarlett
Dr. Nathan Lujan
Dr. Greg Smits

ROM Community Advisory Panelists

© Royal Ontario Museum

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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