The Tsuchigumo (土蜘蛛), or earth spider was one of the Japanese malicious spirits known as Yōkai (妖怪). Here, the earth spider torments the Fijiwara clan warrior Minamoto no Yorimitsu — filling his dreams with wicked beasts and monsters, while his retainers, unaware, play the Chinese strategy game of Go. In its day this was a controversial print — seen as a caricature of Shogun Ieyoshi. The original wood blocks for the print were burned, but Kuniyoshi replicated the blocks and continued to publish the prints. Fight the power Kuniyoshi.
