Tokuriki Tomikichirō (1902-2000)‎ - Daimonji from the series Thirty Views of Kyoto

Daimonji

from the series Thirty Views of Kyoto

by Tokuriki Tomikichirō, c. 1933-39

Daimonji Bonfire
Daimonji is one of the iconic festivals of Kyoto, Japan. It is the culmination of the O-Bon festival on August 16th, in which five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding the city. It signifies the moment when the spirits of deceased family members, who are said to visit this world during O-Bon, are believed to be returning to the spirit world.

This print is published by Uchida Woodblock Printing Company in the 1930s1 as part of the series Thirty Views of Kyoto. Uchida mounted these prints on a display board with Tokuriki’s authentication seal on the reverse. These square format prints on board were part of a premium set of designs sold originally in a handmade box.

Uchida reissued this print after WWII as part of the series Twelve Months of Kyoto (Kyo-meisho junikagetsu).