30 Utagawa Kuniyoshi 1798 – 1861 Ichimisai’s daughter Sono and Sue Seijūrō

from the series Koto nishiki imayō kuni-zukushi (Edo Brocade: Modern Depictions of the Provinces)
publisher: Mitaya Kihachi

The upper panel represents Aki Province, showing Sono, the daughter of Ichimisai, driving off two robbers with a staff. The lower scene, devoted to Suō Province, features the actor Bandō Takesaburō I in the role of Sue Seijūrō, holding an opened umbrella. Kuniyoshi contrasts a dramatic female hero narrative with a refined kabuki portrait, demonstrating his mature command of composition, color, and theatrical storytelling.