One Hundred Aspects of the Moon – Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892)
Date: March 1886 (later printing)
Medium: Polychrome Woodblock Print (Oban size)
Dimensions: Approx. 14″ H x 9 13/16″ W

This hauntingly beautiful woodblock print, titled The Ghost of Yūgao, is the 29th design from Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s celebrated masterpiece series, One Hundred Aspects of the Moon. A pinnacle of late 19th-century ukiyo-e, the series illustrates various figures from Japanese and Chinese history and literature, each unified by a poignant connection to the moon. This specific print depicts a tragic scene from the “Yūgao” chapter of The Tale of Genji, where the mysterious and delicate lover of Prince Genji appears as a wistful spirit.

Yoshitoshi’s mastery is on full display here through his use of “psychological sensitivity,” portraying Yūgao not as a terrifying specter, but as a spectral figure dissolving into a moonlit mist. Her signature long hair flows down her back in the classic Heian court style, while her ephemeral form is entwined with the climbing “evening face” (yūgao) gourds and white flowers from which she takes her name. The full moon cast a pale light that highlights her blue lips—a traditional artistic shorthand for a ghost—contrasting with the sharp, rhythmic vines that ground the composition. This series was so popular upon its release that collectors would often wait in long queues before dawn to secure a new design.