About This Print

Source: A Waka Anthology: The Gem-Glistening Cup, Edwin A. Cranston, 1993, Stanford University Press, p. 85.
This print depicts a night-time visit by the fifth-century Emperor Ingyō (c. 411-453) to his lover Princess Sotoshi no iratsume  (aka Sotori), the younger sister of Empress Oshisaka no Ōnakatsuhime.  In order not to offend the Empress, the Emperor provided a residence for Princess Sotoshi far away from the Empress, first in Fujiwara near Asuka and then in Chinu in Kawachi on the Inland Sea, and made secret visits to her. (Of course the Empress knew about the visits.)

This poem made Princess Sotori famous, and she later became a deity of poetry.

Attribution of this Design to the Artist Kobayashi Eitaku
The signature on this print bears the name Eitaku 永濯. (The full signature reads "ōju Eitaku" 応需 永濯, (ōju meaning "by demand.")  The Hagi Uragami Museum attributes this print to Kobayashi Eitaku 小林永濯 as does the Ota Museum (although they date their print to 1895 and they do not provide an image of their print.)¹ The publisher's seal on this collection's print carries the date 10th month, Meiji 34 or October 1901.  However, the artist Kobayashi Eitaku is recorded as having died in 1890.