Love Suicide of Ohan and Choemon at the Katsura River

Artist: Utagawa Toyokunic 1810 Medium: Woodblock print; ink and color on paper

This print departs from the two Umegawa prints by showing an action-packed scene that is pulled away in order for us to view the entire situation. We find Ohan on the back of Choemon as they wade through the river, the water swirling around the feet of Choemon at the bottom of the print. The action in this print is just as unusual as the intimacy of the two previous prints. This tale of double suicide was based on a real story from Kyoto where two bodies were found in the Katsuragawa river, one of a 50-year old man and the other of a 14 or 15-year old girl. In the story, Choemon is working for Ohan’s father’s Obi shop and becomes entangled in a love affair with Ohan. Ohan becomes pregnant and intends to commit suicide because their affair would no longer be able to remain secret. Choemon goes to join her, and carries her on his back to the river as they put pebbles in their sleeves in order to drown themselves together.