Posted by Irwin (174.25.9.98) on January 31, 2012 at 06:58:43:
Hi,
Can anyone help me with an English translation of the following title for a Kunichika triptych (as given in the The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of Waseda University database): 流行しりとり子どももんく
According to the MFA, Boston it reads Ryûkô shiritori kodomo monku. I do know that shiritori monku is a word game in which the last word or syllable of a phrase is used as the first work or syllable of a following phrase. The extensive kanji script on each of the three panels seems to be all shiritori monku and a contest, perhaps, is going on between the 3 actors Nakamura Shikan, Sawamura Tanosuke and Ichimura Kakitsu. The best I can do is "Fashionable children's 'end-taking phrase'", but this is very clunky at best.
I've posted the print at https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LWDrLXnudNtOi2rqkLHvNzmPds9LmS5UQVTZ8sLcfus?feat=directlink
Thanks!