nntsuzu/KFTT huggingface dataset:
English: Particularly, research has been advanced centering on his post "betto" and his activity and its personality has become clear.
Japanese: 中でも彼の「別当」という職務を中心に、研究が進んでおり、活動実態やその性格についても判明してきている。
English: There was a time that he served concurrently as a government official, betto, including the Office for the Construction of Ishiyama-dera Temple, Office of the Sutra copying office of Todai-ji Temple Construction and Kon-do Hall in Hokke-ji Temple which were away from each other.
Japanese: 造石山寺所と造東大寺司写経所・法華時金堂所などの物理的に距離が隔たっている官司の別当を兼務していた時期がある。
English: In historical materials, it is recorded that government officials were given specific instruction by letters, in case that oral instructions were not given.
Japanese: このような、直接口頭での指示が行われない事態の場合には、書状を用いて、それぞれの官司に細かく指示を出していたことが史料に残っている。
English: For example, Otari mostly stayed in Hokke-ji Temple in 758.
Japanese: たとえば、天平宝字2年には、雄足は法華寺にいることが多かったようである。
English: During this time, with the illness of Empress Komyo, Buddhist rites were held so often, therefore, it is considered that instructions were often given to Office of the Sutra copying office of Todai-ji Temple Construction which had many Buddhist scriptures and tools for Buddhist rites by Kon-do Hall (main hall of a Buddhist temple) in Hokke-ji Temple, and many letters were found.
Japanese: この時期は、光明皇后の病気にともない、関連仏事を多く行っていた時期でもあり、法華寺金堂所から、多くの経典や仏事関係の道具を持つ造東大寺司写経所への指示が頻繁に行われたと考えられ、多くの書状が残っている。
English: After the death of Empress Komyo, it seems that he worked mainly for Hokke-ji Temple, therefore, he stayed in Hokke-ji Temple for a long time.
Japanese: 光明の死後も、しばらくは法華寺での仕事が中心であったようで、彼は長く法華寺にいた。
English: At that time, he sent the letter for asking "let me know the crop condition," and this shows that he asked for the report about crops, because he was not able to leave the job in Hokke-ji Temple.
Japanese: その際には「作物の消息を知らせるように」との書状を出しており、法華寺での作業から離れられず、報告を要求する様子が伺われる。
English: In the study of ancient history of Japan, the example that shows exchange of instructions between government officials in detail was rarely the case.
Japanese: このような官司間の指示のやり取りが仔細にわかる事例は、日本古代史研究では稀であろう。
English: When it comes to personnel changes, some of the studies concerning Otari's "purpose" or "authority" has been advanced.
Japanese: 人事の異動関係についても、雄足の「意図」や「権限」について、いくつかの研究が進んでいる。
English: For example, most of his letters were sent to Anju (administrative official of the Sutra copying office), Kaminoumakai and Shimonomichinushi.
Japanese: たとえば、彼から送られた書状の多くは案主（写経所の事務官）である、上馬養と下道主に宛てられている。
English: These two gained the deep confidence of Otari, and when Otari became betto of Office of Ishiyama-dera Temple Construction, he called them to his presence as administrative officials.
Japanese: この二人の雄足の信任はずいぶんと厚かったようであり、造石山寺所別当となった際には、この二人を事務官として呼び寄せていた。
English: When he called Shimonomichinushi to Office of Ishiyama-dera Temple Construction from Office of Todai-ji Temple Construction, although his request was once turned down by Mandokoro of Office of Todai-ji Temple Construction, as a result Shimonomichinushi worked for Office of Ishiyama-dera Temple Construction at his request.
Japanese: 下道主を造東大寺司から造石山寺所に呼び寄せる際には、一旦は雄足の要求が造東大寺司政所に拒否されたにも関わらず、結果的には、雄足の要求どおり道主は造石山寺所に勤務している。
English: From these events, we can find that Otari had both the state of authority betto supposed to have and the strengthen of authority Otari had.
Japanese: この点からは、別当としての権限のありようと、雄足自身の権限の強さの両者から見られることが多い。
English: Otari carried out a sizable amount of work and was actively involved in the management of his own rice paddy.
Japanese: 雄足は、非常に多くの仕事をこなし、かつ、自らの私田の経営をも積極的に行っていた。
English: Actually, he was in the rank of Shohachiinojo (Senior Eighth Rank, Upper Grade) and appointed as Sakan of Office of Todai-ji Temple Construction.
Japanese: たしかに、彼は正八位上で、造東大寺司主典に任ぜられるほどの人物であった。
English: It is the case that many studies about ATO no Otari, a lower-ranking government official, were conducted, although it was rare.
Japanese: また、下級官人としてはきわめて珍しいほどの研究があることも事実である。
English: However, on the other hand, there is a room to study whether this Otari's activity is really peculiar or not.
Japanese: しかし、一方で、この雄足の活動が、下級官人としては極めて特異なものであったのかについては、なお検討の余地があるといえる。
English: If Otari was special in term of career, economic activity and work, finding out about how more "ordinary" government official worked became subject of future investigation, and if many other government officials could work the same way as Otari, studying about Otari surely leads us to approach the actual condition of lower-ranking government officials.
Japanese: 雄足がその経歴・経済活動・その職務において特別なのであれば、より「平凡」な官人たちはどのような活動をしていたのかが今後の検討課題となるし、雄足の活動は多くの他の官人たちも行いうるものであったのならば、雄足の研究はまさに下級官人の実態に直接迫る研究となりうる。
English: Emphasizing Otari's "peculiarity" will relate to how we understand the actual condition of government officials.
Japanese: 雄足の「特異性」を強調することは、官人の実態をどのように理解するかに関わってくるであろう。
English: The period of political changes in the late Nara period was also the period of mature of bureaucratic organization.
Japanese: 奈良時代後期の政変の時代は、同時に「実務派の官人」たちによって支えられた官僚機構の成熟の時代でもあった。
English: Yorisuke HIROHASHI (1182 - April 7, 1236) was Kugyo (a court noble) during the early Kamakura period.
Japanese: 広橋頼資（ひろはしよりすけ、寿永元年（1182年）－嘉禎2年2月30日(旧暦)（1236年4月7日））は、鎌倉時代前期の公卿。
English: He was appointed to Sangi (Councilor of Imperial government) on January 27, 1225, and he was further promoted to Gon Chunagonand in the next year.
Japanese: 元仁元年12月17日（1225年1月27日）に参議に任ぜられ、翌年に権中納言に昇る。
English: He was such a fervent adherent of Kumano faith (Kumano was believed to be a dwelling place of the gods) that he made more than twenty pilgrimages to Kumano shrines in either official and private visits, and particularly his pilgrimages done in 1210, in 1216, and in 1229 were recounted in his diary, "Dairy of Lord Yorisuke."
Japanese: 熊野信仰に厚く、承元4年（1210年）・建保4年（1216年）・寛喜元年（1229年）の参詣などは日記『頼資卿記』に詳細に残されているほか、公私合わせて20回以上の熊野参詣が知られている。
English: Kanenaka HIROHASHI (1244 - February 12, 1308) was a kugyo (a court noble) during the late Kamakura period.
Japanese: 広橋兼仲（ひろはしかねなか、寛元2年（1244年）－徳治3年1月20日(旧暦)（1308年2月12日））は鎌倉時代後期の公卿。
English: In 1252, he celebrated his coming of age, and after he was appointed to Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) in 1257, he studied Kidendo (Monjodo (Literature)).
Japanese: 建長4年（1252年）に元服、正嘉2年（1257年）に叙爵し、紀伝道（文章道）を学ぶ。
English: Appointed to Minbu shoyu (Junior Assistant Minister of Popular Affairs) in 1259, he became Keishi (household superintendent) of the Konoe and the Takatsukasa family, and began to serve as shitsuji (a steward) of Kanehira TAKATSUKASA and Iemoto KONOE from 1278.
Japanese: 正元元年に民部少輔に任じられ、近衛家・鷹司家の家司となり、弘安元年（1278年）より鷹司兼平・近衛家基の執事を務めた。
English: Kanenaka became the legitimate successor of the family upon the death of his elder brother, Kaneyori HIROHASHI in 1280, then he was successively appointed to Kurodo (Chamberlain) in 1284, and Ushoben (Minor Controller of the Right) in 1287, and Shashoben (Minor Controller of the Left) in 1288, and Uchuben (Middle Controller of the Right) and Sachuben (Middle Controller of the Left) in 1289, and Udaiben (Major Controller of the Right) and Sadaiben (Major Controller of the Left) in the next year with the additional post of Togo no suke, and to Karoo no to (Head Chamberlain) in 1291.
Japanese: 弘安3年（1280年）に兄広橋兼頼が没すると嫡子として扱われ、弘安7年（1284年）に蔵人に任ぜられ、同10年に右少弁、正応元年（1288年）に左少弁、翌年には右中弁、左中弁に、その翌年には右大弁、左大弁に任じられ、春宮亮も兼任、正応4年には蔵人頭に任じられた。
English: During that time, he also served as Ukyujoshi and Sayukyujoshi (Secretary of the left Office of Palace Repairs and Secretary of the right Office of Palace Repairs), Zo Kofuku-ji Temple chokan (Kofuku-ji Temple zojishi, the director for the construction of Kofuku-ji Temple), and Inshi (official of the retired emperor's office) of the Retired Emperor Kameyama.
Japanese: この間に左右宮城使や造興福寺長官（興福寺造寺司）や亀山上皇院司も兼ねている。
English: In 1292, he was appointed to Hinoryu choja (the head of the Hino family) upon the death of Sukenobu HINO, and on November 5 of the same year, he was promoted to Sangi (Councilor) from Kurodo no to, and then he was bestowed Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) to become Gon Chunagon (a provisional vice-councilor of state) the next year, in 1293.
Japanese: 正応5年（1292年）に日野資宣の死により日野流長者と任じられ、同年11月5日に蔵人頭から参議に任ぜられ、翌永仁元年（1293年）には従三位に叙せられて権中納言となる。
English: In 1294, he resigned as Gon Chunagon, but his title was raised to Shosanmi (Senior Third Rank), and further raised to Junii (Junior Second Rank) in 1299.
Japanese: 永仁2年（1294年）に権中納言を辞任するが正三位に叙され、正安元年（1299年）には従二位に叙せられた。
English: In 1305, he handed over Hino choja status to Toshimitsu HINO and entered into priesthood in 1308, and soon after he died of an illness.
Japanese: 嘉元3年（1305年）に日野長者を日野俊光に譲り、徳治3年に出家して間もなく病死した。
English: Tameyuki NAKAMIKADO (1276 - September 30, 1332) was a kugyo (a court noble) during the late Kamakura period.
Japanese: 中御門為行（なかみかどためゆき、建治7年（1276年）－正慶元年9月10日(旧暦)（1332年9月30日））は、鎌倉時代後期の公卿。
English: In 1291, he was appointed to Ushoben (Minor Controller of the Right) at the early age of sixteen, and he was bestowed Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) on January 28, 1300.
Japanese: 正応4年（1291年）、16歳の若さで右少弁に任じられ、正安2年1月5日には従三位に叙せられる。
English: Three years later, he was appointed to Sangi (Councilor) and later he was yielded Innoshikken status (regent to the shogunate under the retired emperor) of the Retired Emperor Gouda from his father in 1315; however, he resigned as Sangi upon the death of his father in the same year.
Japanese: 3年後に参議に任じられ、徳治元年（1315年）に父より後宇多上皇の院執権を譲られるが、同年の父の没により参議を辞任。
English: His background was close to the influence of Jimyoin-to (imperial linage from Emperor Gofukakusa to Emperor Gokomatsu), therefore he was reappointed to Sangi in 1308, upon the revival of Insei (rule of the retired emperor) by the Retired Emperor Fushimi.
Japanese: また、彼自身は持明院統に近く、延慶(日本)元年（1308年）の伏見上皇院政復活と同時に参議に再任された。
English: In 767, when Michikata served as the Ise no suke (Assistant Governor of Ise Province), he and ABE no Azumahito reported to the Emperor that there was an auspicious cloud above the outer shrine of Ise-jingu Shrine.
Japanese: 天平神護3年の伊勢介在職時に阿倍東人とともに伊勢神宮外宮上空に現れた瑞雲を奏上した。
English: It is considered that his common name, 'Sakai' was derived from the fact that the foothold of the Chiba clan was located in the watershed of Sakai-gawa River, which is running through the outskirt of their base territory, Chiba no sho (the private estate of the Chiba clan); later he also reigned Habu no sho in Shimousa Province and Tamasaki no sho in Kazusa Province, and established his foothold at Oyanagi no tate (currently Mutsuzawa-cho, Chiba Prefecture) in Tamasaki no sho; he further expanded his territory to the opposite shore of Sakai-gawa River from Chiba no sho, Ichihara District in Kazusa Province.
Japanese: 通称である「境」は千葉氏の本拠である千葉荘の外れにあった境川（現在の村田川）流域に拠点があったからとされ、後に下総国垣生荘及び上総国玉崎荘などを支配して玉崎荘の大柳館（現在の千葉県睦沢町）を拠点とし、更に千葉荘とは境川対岸の上総国市原郡にも進出することになる。
English: In 1184, he joined the army of MINAMOTO no Noriyori for the Battle of Jisho-Juei, and took part in various battles in Suo Province (now, a part of Yamaguchi Prefecture) and Bungo Province (now Oita Prefecture) with his grandfather, Tsunetane CHIBA, while they again took part in the Battle of Oshu (the area currently in Tohoku region) together by entering Taga-jo Castle in 1189.
Japanese: 元暦元年（1184年）に、祖父千葉常胤とともに源範頼の治承・寿永の乱軍に参加して周防国・豊後国を転戦、文治5年（1189年）の奥州合戦でも祖父とともに多賀城に入っている。
English: When MINAMOTO no Yoritomo headed to Kyoto in 1190, Tsunehide joined the force, and he was appointed to the new Hyoe-fu (Head quarters of the Middle Palace Guard) after his grandfather Tsunetane returned the position.
Japanese: 建久元年（1190年）の源頼朝の上洛に従い、祖父の譲りによって兵衛府に任ぜられる。
English: In 1203, he was appointed to Jisha-bugyo (magistrate of temples and shrines) of shogunal capital Kamakura along with OＥ no Chikahiro.
Japanese: 建仁3年（1203年）には大江親広とともに鎌倉中寺社奉行に任ぜられた。
English: In 1205, Tsunehide took part as the rear guard of the troops of Yoshitoki HOJO, which was organized to hunt down and kill a rebel, Shigetada HATAKEYAMA.
Japanese: 元久2年（1205年）の畠山重忠追討には北条義時に従って後陣に詰めた。
English: In 1219, Tsunehide encountered the scene of MINAMOTO no Sanetomo being assassinated when he accompanied Sanetomo visiting Tsuruoka Hachiman-gu Shrine to make an address of gratitude to god for the bestowment of udaijin (minister of the right).
Japanese: 承久元年（1219年）には源実朝右大臣就任の鶴岡八幡宮拝賀に供奉し、実朝暗殺事件に遭遇した。
English: In 1225, he was bestowed the rank of Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) and appointed to Shimousa no kami (Governor of Shimousa Province) along with Tomomasa KOYAMA, while he was later transferred to Kazusa no suke (Assistant Governor of Kazusa Province): he accompanied Yoritsune KUJO in joining the inauguration ceremony of Myoo-in Temple (in Kamakura City).
Japanese: 嘉禄元年（1225年）には小山朝政とともに従五位下下総守に任じられ、後に上総介に転じて嘉禎元年（1235年）の明王院(鎌倉市)の供養に際して九条頼経に供奉している。
English: He surpassed his elder brother Naritane who succeeded the head of Chiba family, in terms of their official ranks; Tsunehide was promoted to Shimousa no kami, a higher rank to Naritane's Chiba no suke (assistant governor of Chiba Province, also called Shimousa no suke), while Tsunehide later achieved the position of Kazusa no suke, the highest rank official of Kazusa Kokuga (territories governed by provincial government office) designated as Shinno-ningoku (provinces whose gubernatorial posts were reserved as sinecures for imperial princes).
Japanese: 官位などは宗家を継いだ兄・成胤を越え、更には千葉介（下総介）の上官である下総守、ついで親王任国である上総国衙の最高の地位である上総介の地位を得て宗家をしのぐ地位を獲得するに至った。
English: According to the record of "Chiba Taikeizu (Genealogy of the Chiba Family)", Tsunehide was consequently appointed as Kazusa Shugo (the Governor of Kazusa Province); therefore, some suggests the possibility that he succeeded the head position of the Kazusa clan instead of the descendants of Hirotsune KAZUSA, who was killed by MINAMOTO no Yoritomo; but there is no reliable evidence to prove.
Japanese: 更に『千葉大系図』には上総守護に補任されたと記されており、源頼朝に討たれた上総広常の子孫に代わって上総氏の地位を継承したとする見方もあるが明証はない。
English: While the year of his death is not specified, it is estimated to be around 1238 to 1241.
Japanese: 没年は不詳だが、嘉禎4年（1238年）から仁治2年（1241年）の間と推定されている。
English: He was appointed as the Kokushi (an officer of local government) in Kazusa Province with the rank of Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) in 1240, and when Seii Taishogun (literally, "great general who subdues the barbarians") Yoritsune KUJO visited temples and shrines at Izu and Hakone in the same year, he accompanied Yoritsune.
Japanese: 仁治元年（1240年）に従五位下上総国国司に任ぜられ、征夷大将軍九条頼経の二所参詣に供奉している。
English: He was awarded Jugoinojo (Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade) in 1243, and he became a member of the Council of State in the following year (the only case among the Chiba clan members)
Japanese: 寛元元年（1243年）には従五位上に叙せられ、翌年には評定衆に加えられる（千葉氏では唯一の例）。
English: While he assisted Yoritane CHIBA, the infant head of the head family of the Chiba clan, he externally acted as a representative of the family.
Japanese: 幼少の千葉氏宗家当主千葉頼胤を補佐する一方で、対外的には一族の代表者として行動した。
English: He also backed up Yoritsune KUJO with Mitsutoki NAGOE, FUJIWARA no Sadakazu, Mototsuna GOTO, Mitsumura MIURA, Tamesuke FUJIWARA, Yasumochi MIYOSHI, and came into conflict with the regent Tsunetoki HOJO.
Japanese: 名越光時・藤原定員・後藤基綱・三浦光村・藤原為佐・三善康持らとともに九条頼経を押し立てて執権北条経時と対抗した。
English: When the regent Tsunetoki died in 1246, Tsunetoki's younger brother Tokiyori HOJO took over the position of a regent, which triggered a coup (palace disturbance), and Mitsutoki NAGOE and FUJIWARA no Sadakazu were overthrown by the failure of the coup.
Japanese: 寛元4年（1246年）に執権経時が死去し、弟の北条時頼が執権を継承したのを機に勃発した政変（宮騒動）によって名越光時・藤原定員が失脚する。
English: On July 28, four members of Council of State, Hidetane CHIBA, Mototsuna GOTO, Tamesuke FUJIWARA, Yasumochi MIYOSHI was removed from the position, and on August 3, Hidetane was deprived of his territories in Hanyunishi, Inzai, Hiratsuka located in Shimousa Province (these subsequently became Sanetoki KANEZAWA's territories) and forced to move to Kazusa Province after being thrown out of Shimousa Province.
Japanese: と、6月7日には千葉秀胤・後藤基綱・藤原為佐・三善康持の4名の評定衆が更迭、更に6月13日(旧暦)秀胤は下総国埴生西・印西・平塚の所領を奪われ（金沢実時所領となる）、上総国に放逐された。
English: On July 16 in 1247, the next year of the coup, the order was issued to expel Hidetane as the adopted son-in-law of the Miura clan after the Battle of Hoji, which completely destroyed Yasumura and Mitsumura MIURA brothers; on the next day, July 17, Taneuji Osuga and Taneyuki TO (also known as Sosen, and a father-in-law of Hidetane's third son Yasuhide), who were also from the Chiba clan, attacked Hidetane's base Tairyukan in Tamazaki no sho in Kazusa Province (now Mutsuzawa town, Chiba Prefecture).
Japanese: 翌宝治元年（1247年）6月(旧暦)の宝治合戦によって、三浦泰村・光村兄弟が攻め滅ぼされると、6月6日(旧暦)に三浦氏の娘婿である秀胤に対しても追討命令が発せられ、翌7日には千葉氏一族の大須賀胤氏・東胤行（素暹、秀胤の3男・泰秀の義父）らが秀胤の本拠である上総国玉崎荘大柳館（現在の千葉県睦沢町）を攻撃した。
English: Desperately cornered Hidetane committed suicide with 163 people in total including his family members with four sons and his retainers, by setting fire to wood and coal prepared in advance.
Japanese: 追い詰められた秀胤はかねてから用意していた薪炭に火を放って4人の息子をはじめとする一族郎党163名とともに自殺した。
English: It is said that many of the Chiba clan families died in battle or lost their territories besides Hidetane's families.
Japanese: また、秀胤一族以外にも討死したり、所領を失った千葉氏一族が多数いたと言われている。
English: According to "Azuma Kagami" (The Mirror of the East), his younger brother Tokitsune CHIBA also rushed to the battle and died together with Hidetane, even though they had been alienated each other after Hidetane unreasonably deprived the territory of Tokitsune; it has been known as a 'moving tale of the brave.'
Japanese: なお、『吾妻鏡』によればその際に以前に兄である秀胤によって不当に所領を奪われて不仲であった弟の千葉時常も駆けつけて自害しており、「勇士の美談」と称されたという。
English: Because Taneyuki TO requested to spare the life of Taneyuki's grandchild (the son of Yasuhide and Taneyuki's daughter) in exchange for the military contribution, Hidetane's blood-related infants were also saved (the articles of June 11th and 17th, 1247 in "Azuma Kagami" [The Mirror of the East].)
Japanese: 東胤行が戦功と引き換えに自分の外孫（泰秀の息子）の助命を求めたために、その子を含めた秀胤の子孫の幼児は助命された（『吾妻鏡』宝治元年6月11・17日条）。
English: Kunichika TOYOHARA (1835 - 1900) was an ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock prints) artist who lived from the end of Edo period to Meiji period.
Japanese: 豊原国周（とよはらくにちか、天保6年（1835年）-明治33年（1900年））は幕末から明治にかけての浮世絵師。
English: He was born as one of the two brothers, and as the second son of Tsuku Oshimaya who operated a bathhouse called Tsuku Oshimaya in Gorocho of the Kyobashi district in Edo (some mentions that the family was the landlord of a building located at 7-chome in Sanjikkenbori of the same district).
Japanese: 江戸京橋五郎兵衛町の湯屋（一説には江戸京橋三十間堀七丁目の家主）大島屋九十の二人兄弟の次男として生まれる。
English: But he already showed his promising talent in painting by helping a flyer shop to make andon oil lamp stands for ceremonial occasions known as "jiguchi andon," which were decorated with pun-motif illustrations (illustrations inspired by puns, a form of word play in which one finds different meanings in word pairs that sound alike [jiguchi puns], were featured on andon lamp stands. Installing these andons at crossroads during festivals became widespread, and many of these illustrations were drawn by ukiyo-e artists).
Japanese: しかし、びら屋で祭礼の際に用いられる地口行灯（もとの言葉を別のものに仕立てて楽しむ言語遊戯、つまりは語呂合わせである地口を、絵で行灯に描いてある。祭礼時に町の辻に飾ることが流行し、その絵の多くが浮世絵師によって描かれた）制作の手伝いをするなど、画才を示していた。
English: After his older brother, Nagoyoshi, opened an osier (raised cloth picture) shop in the Minamidenmacho district, Kunichika studied under the artist of the Hasegawa school Chikanobu TOYOHARA to learn how to draw portraits of kabuki actors; he went on to draw original paintings for hagoita battledores (some says that he took on a job at hagoita maker Rinshun's studio).
Japanese: 兄の長吉が南伝馬町に押絵屋を開業したことがきっかけで、長谷川派の豊原周信に師事し役者似顔を学び、羽子板押絵の原図を制作した（一説には羽子板師・に就いたとも言われる)。
English: He took on a job at hagoita warehouse merchant Meirindo near Sukiya kashi riverbank area; it is said that his portraits of kabuki actors were highly appreciated.
Japanese: 数奇屋河岸にあった羽子板問屋明林堂の仕事を引き受け、その役者絵は評判が良かったという。
English: His connection with hagoita illustration appeared to be maintained throughout his life, because it is assumed there used to be a stone monument inscribed with Kunichika's death poem at Honryu-ji Temple that read "Now that I am tired of drawing portraits of every day people, I could try drawing portrayals of Enma lord of death and oni ogres," which was founded at the initiative of oshi-e painter Kanemaru YUKAWA.
Japanese: 国周の墓所である本龍寺には、現存してはいないが、押絵師湯川周丸を発起人とした国周の辞世句「よの中の人の似かおもあきたれば　ゑむまや鬼の生きうつしせむ」を刻んだ碑があったといわれるので、終生、羽子板絵とのかかわりが保たれたのだろう。
English: When he was helping Toyo-no-kuni to draw a portrait of kabuki actor in 1852, he signed his name as "disciple Yasoya."
Japanese: 嘉永5年(1852)に豊国の役者絵の一部を描き、門人八十八と署名する。
English: In or around 1855, he started using his artist appellation of Kunichika TOYOHARA for his signature, which combined the name of his first mentor, Chikanobu TOYOHARA, and Toyo-no-kuni.
Japanese: 安政2年(1855)頃より、最初の師である豊原周信と豊国の名前を合わせた画名である豊原国周と署名するようになる。
English: In 1869, he demonstrated his skills by producing a large series of okubi-e (large-head pictures) of Kabuki actors with woodcrafter Shokichi OTA, and armor maker Kahei GUSOKUYA in Ningyocho district as publisher.
Japanese: 明治2年(1869)、人形町具足屋嘉兵衛を版元にし、彫工太田升吉による役者似顔大首絵を多数制作し、力量を示した。
English: He became known as "Kunichika of Kabuki actor prints" with the series, which later earned him the moniker of "Sharaku in Meiji period" from Usui KOJIMA.
Japanese: このシリーズにより「役者絵の国周」として知られるようになり、後世、小島烏水によって「明治の写楽」と称せられる。
English: In the following year, he released a series of okubi-e pictures from publisher Yashichi OHASHIYA, each of which came in a set of two or three panels.
Japanese: 翌二年には大橋屋弥七から似顔大首絵を2枚、3枚続にした作品を出版した。
English: In later years, he produced many prints of Kabuki actors depicted in the traditional three-quarter view style, while he also painted Kabuki actor portraits in a daring composition, featuring a single actor standing alone in waist and up view within the set of three panels.
Japanese: 後年は伝統的な役者似顔絵の七分身像を多く描き、3枚続の画面に一人立ちの半身役者絵を描く大胆な構図の作品なども描いた。
English: He demonstrated a unique flamboyant quality in his bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) by adding decorative elements found in hagoita battledores on top of the detailed portrayal of facial expressions.
Japanese: 顔貌描写に羽子板絵式の装飾味を持たせ、美人画にも独特のはれやかさを示した。
English: Influenced by the popularity of photography in his time, there were commercial photographic portraits publisher of Kabuki actors known as "shashinjo" photo studio in 1870, upon which he produced woodblock prints using the shadow method, only to be proven unsuccessful.
Japanese: 写真の流行する時代の影響を受け、明治3年（1870）に「写真所」と題した役者のブロマイドがあり、陰影法を用いた木版画を制作したが成功しなかった。
English: It can be said that Kunichika's portraits of Kabuki actors helped boosting the popularity of the Kabuki community, which had suffered a slump because of the Boshin War.
Japanese: 国周の役者絵は、戊辰戦争を受けて不況となった歌舞伎界を盛り上げたともといえる。
English: Although Kunichika seemed to have many disciples, only Chikashige MORIKAWA and Chikanobu YOSHU flourished as well-known artists.
Japanese: 国周の門人は多く存在したらしいが、活躍したのは周重と楊洲周延の二人のみである。
English: He made a habit of changing addresses and remarrying, and he moved 117 times according to himself; he bragged about his moving comparing to Hokusai who was also known for moving many times by saying, "I may not beat Hokusai in painting skills, but I beat him in the number of moving."
Japanese: 住まいと妻を変えることが癖で、本人によると転居は117回であり、同じく転居の多かった北斎と比べ「絵は北斎には及ばないが、転居数では勝っている」と誇っていたという。
English: It seems that on several occasions some publishers who wanted to commission a painting job had trouble finding his location because he constantly moved from one place to another just because he did not like the air in the neighborhood.
Japanese: 近所の空気が気に入らないといっては移転し、版元が絵を依頼しようとしても居所がわからず困ったという。
English: In one episode, he was quoted as saying, "one day I moved into a place but move out of there the next day because I got sick of the place--in an extreme case, I moved three times in a day, and I simply had no choice but to stay at the third house even though I did not like it, because it was getting dark and I was too exhausted."
Japanese: 「今日転居して来て、明日厭気がさすと直ぐ引越し、甚しい時は一日に三度転じたが、その三度目の家も気に入らなかったが、日が暮れて草臥れたので、是非なく思い止まった」という話まである。