Ichikawa Yonezō as the Ghost of Oiwa

Ichikawa Yonezō as the Ghost of Oiwa

Enjaku 猿雀

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The ghost story of Oiwa is based on actual events related in the Ghost Story in Yotsuya on the Tōkaidō Road (Tōkaidō Yotsuya kaidan), which was turned into a popular Kabuki play by Tsuruya Nanboku (1755–1829). Iemon, a masterless samurai, wed Oiwa, a daughter of a warrior family that was hoping to have a male heir to help preserve their family name. After marrying, Iemon poisoned his wife and was haunted by her vengeful spirit.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ichikawa Yonezō as the Ghost of OiwaIchikawa Yonezō as the Ghost of OiwaIchikawa Yonezō as the Ghost of OiwaIchikawa Yonezō as the Ghost of OiwaIchikawa Yonezō as the Ghost of Oiwa

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.