A View of Lord Yoritomo's Hunt at the Foot of Mt. Fuji, from the series Perspective Pictures of Japan

Japan’s archetypal revenge story The Tale of the Soga Brothers was based on historical events from the late twelfth century. Minamoto no Yoritomo, the shogun of Japan’s first military government, led a great hunt at the foot of Mt. Fuji in the summer of 1193. Yoritomo’s chief advisor Kudo Suketsune, who had murdered the father of two young brothers seventeen years earlier, was a member of the hunting party. The two brothers traveled to Mt. Fuji to avenge their father’s death and ultimately succeeded in their mission. Their dramatic story became the most popular subject for Edo-period kabuki. Yoritomo’s hunt is depicted in minute detail, as Toyoharu includes more than a hundred warriors on foot and horseback chasing down wild boar, deer, hares, and other animals. The figure in the lower-right corner of the composition riding the white horse covered by a large umbrella is Yoritomo, and the prominent figure directly behind him on the dark horse is most likely his trusted advisor Kudo. The flags lined up along the base of Mt. Fuji mark the location of the camps and site of the brothers’ revenge.