This print displays an iconic figure whose presence underscores his lasting resonance in Japanese cultural history. Mashiba Hisayoshi is a false name used to refer to Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598), the name being a subversion required by government regulations against the depiction of recent historical events during the Tokugawa period (1615-1868). Lord Mashiba is seen here in full military garb with his sword drawn in front of him. His stance reflects his status as a brilliant general and as leader of the invasion of Korea in 1592-Hideyoshi's long hair is shown white, as this invasion came at the very end of his life. This print was designed in 1862 at the end of the Tokugawa period. The war depicted here, called the Seven Years War, began in 1592 when Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded Korea. While having reached rulership through completing the unification of Japan, his efforts against Korea stagnated. 1598 saw both Hideyoshi's death from illness and his army's withdrawal from Korea. Despite his final hubris, Hideyoshi's legacy as his country's unifier remains secure in Japanese history.

The Sengoku Period (circa 1467-1568), usually translated as the Warring States Period, was a prolonged era of civil war between numerous feudal domains. Lack of effective central leadership led domain lords to vie for larger areas of influence, and to create territories that were independent of outside rule. This situation remained until Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), and Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598), worked together to effect a unification of the country under central rule. Characterized by ruthless ambitions and contested territories, the legends of the Sengoku Period maintained the themes of strength, honor, bravery, and loyalty established in the classical period and Genpei War (1180-1185). The prints here depict an era of grotesque violence and ingenious military tactics; warlords slaughtered their rivals families, and collected their enemies heads. Brilliant military strategies unfolded as smaller infantries toppled much larger armies using traps, diversions, and recently imported firearms. It was a time of gekokujō, , which can be translated as the low overcoming the high, and the ultimate victor of the Sengoku Period, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was a man born to humble beginnings with no samurai lineage. These prints celebrate men like Hideyoshi, whose aggression and strategic genius brought them great status.