King Hanzoku and the Evil Fox Lady Kayō (Wa-kan Nazorae Genji, Otome) – Utagawa Kuniyoshi Print

King Hanzoku and the Evil Fox Lady Kayō Revealed is one of Utagawa Kuniyoshi's most striking supernatural designs. It belongs to the series Wa-kan Nazorae Genji (和漢准源氏, "Japanese and Chinese Parallels to the Tale of Genji"), which matched each chapter of the classic novel with a dramatic episode from Japanese or Chinese legend. This print illustrates the chapter Otome ("The Maiden").

The scene comes from the Indian chapter of the nine-tailed fox legend. In the kingdom of Tenra, King Hanzoku (Kalmāṣapāda) has been driven to monstrous cruelty by his favourite, the beautiful Lady Kayō, and has begun collecting the heads of neighbouring kings. Here the spell finally breaks: unmasked at last, the fox spirit sheds her human disguise and escapes above the palace in a whirl of silk robes, while the king, bare-chested and wild-haired, roars in helpless fury and one of his victims lies at his feet.

Kuniyoshi builds the whole composition on a single diagonal, from the fox's snarling muzzle down to the king's pointing hand. Muted greens, dusty pinks and pale gold give the print an unusual, almost dreamlike softness for a scene of such violence. The fox will flee east to China, where she becomes Daji, and finally to Japan, where she is remembered as Tamamo-no-Mae.

High-definition art print of King Hanzoku and the Evil Fox Lady Kayō

• ✓ Thick, matte, museum-quality paper
• ✓ Printed from ultra-high-definition images
• ✓ Restored colours, faithful to the original woodblock print
• ✓ Fast worldwide shipping in a protective cardboard tube

Our prints are available in a wide range of sizes, which you can choose from the drop-down menu. Don't hesitate to contact us if you need any advice.

Styling tip: its soft, faded palette works beautifully in a thin black frame with a generous white mount, and suits a study, a library or a hallway. Discover more fox spirits and supernatural creatures in our yokai art prints collection.

About Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) was one of the last great masters of ukiyo-e. Famous for his warriors, heroes and supernatural creatures, he brought a new sense of drama and imagination to Japanese woodblock prints. His giant skeletons, sea monsters and shape-shifting foxes remain some of the most spectacular images of yokai ever created.