An Ōtsu-e Ballad (Ōtsu-e bushi)

Catalog note / 解説

<b>The Deadly Measles Outbreak of 1862</b> During the Edo period (1615–1868), measles was a common disease in Japan, and an epidemic struck every 20 to 30 years. The outbreak in 1862 was one of the worst, claiming tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands of lives in the city of Edo (present-day Tokyo) alone. These works, known as ‘measles prints’, were produced at the height of the crisis. Their wry humour encouraged social solidarity and gave hope and levity to people affected by the virus. The affordable prints also included written information about how to prevent infection or relieve symptoms.