Author(s): Jack Hunter

ART OF AFRICA ASIA + OCEANA | ALL THINGS JAPANESE | TATTOO REFERENCE

The story of the 47 Ronin - a band of samurai who became masterless after the enforced suicide of their daimyo - is a legend which stems from a true historical episode of deadly revenge during the period 1701-1703. This tale remains one of the most enduring myths in Japanese culture as an exemplar of bushido, the samurai code of honour and loyalty. The story became widely popularized in Japan and as woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) grew in popularity, the 47 Ronin became a favoured subject. Kunisada's 47 Ronin remains one of the greatest ukiyo-e series of the late Edo period.