Late Edo period~Meiji period Donated by the Sakata Chuo Senior High School Alumni Association (Formerly owned by the Shirasaki family)
This doll references an anecdote from the life of Ōishi Yoshio, the personal aide and chamberlain to Asano Nagatomo, the father of Asano Naganori. Often referred to by his title, Ōishi Kuranosuke, he is famously known as the hero of The Treasury of Loyal Retainers, which is a series of fictionalized accounts of the forty-seven rōnin and their mission to avenge the death of their lord and master, Asano Naganori.
Once, Nagatomo fell ill but refused to take his medicine, which greatly distressed his vassals. Kuranosuke took it upon himself to behave insolently in front of his master. This angered Nagatomo, who chased Kuranosuke around the garden to get him out of his sight. He grew tired, so he sat down on a stone, and ordered his retainers to bring him some water to drink. The tea-server quickly brought him a cup of hot water into which the medicine had been mixed; Nagatomo ended up taking his medicine. Seeing this, Kuranosuke knelt down before Nagatomo and apologized for his insolence, steeling himself for punishment. Instead, Nagatomo praised Kuranosuke, and rewarded him for his loyalty.