The works of Sakubei Yamamoto
Fights, Rice Riots

Rice Riots at Coal Pits (Yama) #3 (Sake Barrel, Saburo Asahina)
July 1965

Yama no Kome-sodo #3 (Sakadaru; Asahina Saburo)
[Rice Riots at Coal Pits (Yama) #3 (Sake Barrel; Saburo Asahina)]
38.0 x 54.0 cm Painting in Watercolors and Ink

The rioters burst into the mine store (yama no baiten) where all commodities were available and rampaged around, smashing things to pieces or throwing them out. However, they carefully brought out a sake barrel as well as dippers and cups and broke its top. Most miners were heavy drinkers and they enjoyed drinking their fill as a proverb says, "Ohta toki kabuto nuge (Seize time by the forelock)" in the dialect of the Chikuho region. As they drank, they became more violent. They invigorated each other and grew more reckless, saying to each other, "That's the spirit!" It was said that the ringleader who was falsely known as Saburo Asahina [a strong samurai who served the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate (1192-1333) Yoritomo Minamoto], handed each rioter a 50-sen silver coin, which he took from the strongbox in the store, as a reward for joining the riot.


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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