Tomoe Gozen 巴御前 - A4 Riso Print (Signed and Numbered)
Tomoe Gozen 巴御前
Twelfth-century samurai
平安時代末期の女武者 (生没年不詳)
「お前は女であるからどこへでも逃れて行け。自分は討ち死にする覚悟だから、最後に女を連れていたなどと言われるのはよろしくない。」
Tomoe Gozen was a late twelfth-century samurai who married and served Minamoto no Yoshinaka, a general and member of the Minamoto clan.
She was always at the forefront of battle and preferred to be viewed as a warrior rather than just as a woman. Her intelligence and skills as a soldier were clearly appreciated—the Tale of the Heike recounted, “Yoshinaka sent her out as his first captain, equipped with strong armour, an oversized sword, and a mighty bow; and she performed more deeds of valour than any of his other warriors."
She was a proficient fighter with both the naginata, a curved, bladed staff, as well as the bow and arrow, and it is said that she beheaded many enemies in battle.
Despite being such a revered and mighty warrior, when Yoshinaka was outnumbered and defeated at the Battle of Awazu, he encouraged her to flee. He claimed that he would have been ashamed to die with a woman, even though she was his wife.
There are conflicting reports on what happened to Tomoe Gozen after the battle of Awazu, but she remains a legendary figure in Japanese history.
What is a riso print?
These prints use risograph technology, a method of printing developed in Japan in the mid-1980s. It can be described as a mix between screenprinting and photocopying. The risograph process produces prints with extremely vibrant, crisp inks, and sometimes these inks overlap during the printing process to create interesting and unique details. These soy-based inks also have a lower environmental impact.
Product details
Printed in Tokyo, Japan by Hand Saw Press print studio. Each print is A4 size (210 x 297 mm / 8.27 x 11.69 in) and printed on Natural White 186gsm Takeo Araveal paper. Acid-free and FSC Approved.
Each print is signed with a traditional Japanese ‘hanko’ artist stamp and hand-numbered from a limited edition of 20. Prints are packaged in cello bags with rigid cardboard inserts and shipped in flat mailers.
Please note that frames are not included.
Delivery times & prices
We ship worldwide. 日本へ国際郵便で送ります。
UK deliveries: 3-4 working days via Royal Mail 1st class
International deliveries available via Royal Mail International Standard Airmail
Prices calculated during checkout
For more information on shipping times for international deliveries, please check the delivery & returns page.
