46 Mizuno Toshikata 1866 – 1908 Yasaku, A Dutiful Son

Japan, 1889

This print, originating from the celebrated series Kyōdō risshi no motoi (Instructive Models of Lofty Ambition), was designed by Mizuno Toshikata. It depicts the compelling moral tale of the farmer Yasaku, who demonstrates profound filial piety by carrying his elderly mother on his back. For this exemplary act of devotion, Yasaku was rewarded by his lord, the daimyo of Mito, Tokugawa Mitsukuni (1628–1700). Tokugawa Mitsukuni, revered as a benevolent ruler, held a deep respect for farmers; it is said that he kept a small figure of a farmer with him to remind him to be grateful to the hardworking rural population for every meal he ate. The scene is accompanied by explanatory text within a scroll-like cartouche in the upper right corner and is framed by the decorative border characteristic of the series' initial release. Toshikata contributed a total of 16 designs to this ambitious project.