Naniwaya Okita and Takashima Ohisa playing a game of ken

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1603–1868), Chôbunsai Eishi's *Naniwaya Okita and Tak Ohisa playing a game ken* (c. 1793/94) captures a playful moment between two elegant women engaged in "ken," a popular hand game akin to rock-paper-scissors. Eishi, a master of ukiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world" genre—specialized in bijin-ga, refined depictions of beautiful women from the Yoshiwara pleasure district. This scene reflects the leisure and grace of courtesans, offering a glimpse into urban Japan's fascination with beauty, wit, and everyday diversions. Printed as an oban yoko-e (large horizontal format color woodblock print), measuring 26.1 × 38 cm, the work showcases Eishi's signature style: delicate lines, subtle gradations of color achieved through sophisticated woodblock techniques like bokashi (ink shading), and flowing kimono patterns that emphasize poise and sensuality. Rivaling contemporaries like Utamaro, Eishi's prints were affordable art for the masses, democratizing high culture during a booming print industry in late 18th-century Tokyo. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, this piece highlights ukiyo-e's cultural legacy—bridging entertainment, fashion, and social commentary—inviting visitors to ponder the timeless joy of friendly competition amid opulent surroundings.

About the Artist

Chôbunsai Eishi · 1756–1829

Chôbunsai Eishi, born Hosoda Tokitomi in 1756 to a prosperous samurai family of the Fujiwara clan in Edo, inherited a substantial stipend of 500 koku of rice annually. His grandfather had served as the shogunate's Treasury Minister, and upon his father Hosoda Tokiyuki's death in 1772, Eishi became family head while holding a position in Shogun Tokugawa Ieharu's palace from 1781. Unusually for a uk...