9. Mountain moon after rain (Ugo no sangetsu)

Soga no Goro Tokimune (12th century) and his elder brother Juro successfully avenged their father’s death by killing his murderer, Kudo Suketsune, one rainy summer night in the shogun’s hunting camp on the slopes of Mount Fuji. Juro was killed in the fight. Goro was captured and taken before the shogun who had him decapitated. The cuckoo flying in front of the moon is a symbol of the transience of life. (printed December 1885)