Banner (nobori) with Kintaro

Date20th century

Label TextKintaro (literally, “golden boy”) is a legendary child with superhuman strength. He was raised by yama-uba (mountain witch) on Mount Ashigara. Often portrayed as a chubby boy, Kintaro came to be a popular subject in drama and the visual arts. On Boy’s Day (May 5th), banners depicting Kintaro or Kintaro dolls are often put up in the hope that boys will be as brave and strong as Kintaro.

Object number89.121

Photo CreditPhoto: Scott Leen

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Deities and Demons: Supernatural in Japanese Art, Oct. 20, 2022 - ongoing [on view Oct. 20, 2022 - Apr. 9, 2023] .

Credit LineGift of the Virginia and Bagley Wright Collection

Dimensions67 x 27 in. (170.18 x 68.58 cm)

MediumHandspun cotton cloth with tsutsugaki