Although texts vary slightly in their details, this legend recounts the story of Shuten-doji, a mythical demon of gigantic stature and horns on his head. In early times he was believed responsible for a large number of people going missing and so the Emperor commanded Minamoto no Yorimitsu (Raiko) to destroy the demon.

In this triptych, Minamoto Yorimitsu and his retainers have tracked Shuten-doji to his lair and are holding him down whilst Raiko (in the centre of the left-hand sheet) decapitates the demon with his sword. However although severed, the head still attempts to bite Raiko's head.

This famous scene was depicted by numerous artists including Utagawa Yoshitsuya (Lot 69) and Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Lot 74)
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