This authentic Edo-period Japanese woodblock-printed book is an illustrated historical chronicle of Kusunoki Masashige (1294–1336), the legendary samurai general who fought in loyal service to Emperor Go-Daigo.
The book presents Masashige’s life through a sequence of military campaigns, strategic battles, and moral episodes, blending historical narrative with dramatic visual storytelling.
Illustrations
Full-page samurai battle scenes
Armored warriors with banners and weapons
Named historical figures and retainers
Landscapes of fortresses, rivers, and encampments
The illustration style strongly influenced later ukiyo-e warrior prints.
Literary Context
Works like Ehon Kusunoki Masashige Ki were essential reading in Edo Japan, promoting ideals of:
Loyalty (忠義)
Honor
Military virtue
Confucian ethics
Details
Format: Traditional Japanese bound book (fukuro-toji)
