By Blessing Maya

This Japanese painting is from the National Museum of Asian Art. It represents the true story of two brothers, Soga Sukenari and Soga Tokimune, who spent eighteen years planning to avenge their father’s murder that happened in 1176. In the end, they successfully killed their father’s murderer in 1193. During the attack, the older brother, Sukenari, died in battle, while the younger brother, Tokimune, was captured alive. Their story became a very popular subject in Kabuki theater, and many artists created prints showing actors performing scenes from it. Through the Japan in DC program, I learned that many Japanese artworks are based on historical events, legends, and often depict famous theater performances. This also helped me to understand why stories like this are so important in Japanese culture and how artists used their prints to keep these stories alive. I found this story especially interesting because the characters were memorable. I also really enjoyed learning about their journey and listening to the story from our tour guide, Ru Fan.