Object: Large Hakata ningyo depicting the celebrated Kuroda retainer Mori Tahei (Mori Tomonobu), shown with the famous spear Nihongo.

Tradition: Hakata ningyo, Fukuoka, Japan.

Subject: Mori Tahei is associated with one of the best-known episodes in Kuroda clan lore. According to the traditional account, Fukushima Masanori challenged him to drink a large quantity of sake and offered the renowned spear Nihongo as the prize. Mori succeeded and carried away the spear, an episode subsequently celebrated in the folk song Kuroda-bushi.

This substantial figure combines the decorative appeal of Hakata ceramic sculpture with a subject firmly rooted in samurai history and the culture of Fukuoka.

Condition: Please study the photographs carefully; they form an integral part of the description.