February
26
/ 2023
Japanese art is full of surprises, including rowdy depictions of phallic contests, intercourse tournaments, and the unforgettable he-gassen fart battles. Bawdy, boisterous and downright delightful, the he-gassen scrolls first came to Western attention in 2012 when the Daily Mail published an article linking them with Edo-era xenophobia. But, is there any truth to rumors linking Japanese fart battles with political commentary on Japan's distrust of European influence? He-gassen, meaning “fart competitions,” were Japanese art scrolls depicting flatulence humor. A trend which first appeared during the Heian period (794 to 1185), one of the most famous of these handscrolls is owned by Waseda University Library. On it is a note stating it was an 1846 copy of a 1680 original. The
