Translation of Shiga Shigetaka's commentary and notes on Sketch 2, dated August 10, 1914 : All of Europe Becomes a Scene of Ashura-Like Carnage

An aura of demonic fury descends upon humanity.

— Shiga Shigetaka

Over the four-year course of WWI, July 28, 1914 – November 11, 1918, it is estimated that between 15 and 25 million people, military and civilian, perished.

Itō’s figures, from left to right, depict neutral Italy (伊) standing with folded arms, disengaged; France (佛) and Belgium grappling with a powerful Germany (独); and Britain (英) and Russia (露) ineffectually striking at Germany. As in many of Itō’s early sketches during the war, Germany is portrayed as invincible. 

Notes on Sketch 4, dated August 17, 1914: Fall of Liège

On August 4, 1914, Germany invaded Belgium as part of its plan to quickly reach Paris. While the Belgian army was largely unprepared, the fortified cities of Liège and Namur offered resistance, with Liège holding out until August 16 and Namur until August 25. The defense of Liège earned Belgium international admiration as "Brave Little Belgium." Despite their courage, Belgium’s unprepared military could not stop the German advance.

In a sumo-style match, Itō depicts the uneven contest between Germany (独) and Belgium (白), with Germany shown illegally strangling its opponent. 

References:

"Warfare 1914–1918: Belgium," International Encyclopedia of the First World War, Department of History and Cultural Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/warfare-1914-1918-belgium/#toc_a_disastrous_start_in_1914.

Translation of Miyake Tatsuko's commentary and notes on Sketch 5, dated August 23, 1914: Severance of Diplomatic Relations Between Japan and Germany

Facing the foe I claimed as mine alone,

I raise my sword—

how sorrowful it is

— Tatsuko

On August 23, 1914, following Germany’s rejection of its August 15 ultimatum (Sketch 3), Japan severed its relations with and declared war on Germany, joining the United Kingdom, France, and Russia as one of the Allied Nations (also known as the Entente Powers or the Allies). 

While in Sketch 3 Itō depicts Germany (独) holding tightly to its Jiaozhou Bay concession while nervously eyeing Japan, in this sketch Japan (日) is on the attack, causing Germany to fall back while still clutching his bag labeled 膠州湾 (Jiaozhou Bay).

Japan's declaration of war, contained in an Imperial rescript, read as follows:

The Imperial rescript issued at Tokyo,

August 23, 1914, 6 p.m.

We, by the grace of Heaven, Emperor of Japan, seated on the Throne occupied by the same Dynasty from time immemorial, do hereby make the following Proclamation to all Our loyal and brave subjects:

We hereby declare war against Germany and We command Our Army and Navy to carry on hostilities against that Empire with all their strength, and We also command all Our competent authorities to make every effort, in pursuance of their respective duties to attain the national aim by all means within the limits of the law of nations.

Since the outbreak of the present war in Europe, the calamitous effect of which We view with grave concern, We on Our part have entertained hopes of preserving peace of the Far East by the maintenance of strict neutrality, but the action of Germany has at length compelled Great Britain, Our Ally, to open hostilities against that country, and Germany is at Kiaochow, its leased territory in China, busy with warlike preparations, while its armed vessels cruising the seas of eastern Asia are threatening Our commerce and that of Our Ally. Peace of the Far East is thus in jeopardy.

Accordingly, Our Government and that of His Britannic Majesty, after full and frank communication with each other agreed to take such measures as may be necessary for the protection of the general interests, contemplated in the agreement of alliance and We on Our part being desirous to attain that object by peaceful means commanded Our Government to offer with sincerity an advice to the Imperial German Government. By the last day appointed for the purpose, however, Our Government failed to receive an answer accepting their advice. It is with profound regret that We, in spite of Our ardent devotion to the cause of peace, are thus compelled to declare war, especially at this early period of Our reign and while we are still in mourning for Our lamented Mother.

It is Our earnest wish that by the loyalty and valor of Our faithful subjects, peace may soon be restored and the glory of the Empire be enhanced.

References:

"The Imperial rescript issued at Tokyo, August 23, 1914, 6 p.m.," Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1914, Supplement, The World War, Document 315, United States Department of State, Office of the Historian, https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1914Supp/d315.

Translation of Tsukamoto Yasushi's commentary and notes on Sketch 6, dated August 25, 1914: Germany Surrounded on All Sides

Cut down from the top and cut away from the bottom

Full of wiles and tricks

— ketsudai

[followed by seal of Tsukamoto Yasushi] 

Itō portrays Germany as the wrathful, many-armed Buddhist deity Āṭavaka (Daigensui Myōō), surrounded and probed by armor-clad figures representing Britain (英), France (仏), Belgium (白), Russia (露), and Japan (日). 

Notes on Sketch 7, dated August 28, 1914: Severance of Diplomatic Relations Between Japan and Austria

On August 25, 1914, Japan broke relations with Austria-Hungary, Germany's ally, and followed this with a formal declaration of war on August 27, 1914. 

Itō's sketch portrays Austria (墺) as a concubine being led away by a lecherous-looking Germany (独), while Japan (日) looks on, seemingly unconcerned by her departure.

Translation of Hibino Hiroshi's commentary and notes on Sketch 8, dated August 31, 1914: Russia and Germany Race for Advantage

Will it be Russia or Germany?—don't lose!
Russia, run swiftly!
Raise your battle cry
In the streets of Berlin.

— Hibino Hiroshi

On the Eastern Front, Russian forces advanced toward Berlin (伯林), while on the Western Front, German forces pushed westward toward Paris (巴里). This overall situation was depicted by Itō as a race to see who could capture the other’s flag first.

Germany’s tactical plan, the Schlieffen Plan, assumed slow Russian mobilization, but Russia advanced swiftly, invading East Prussia on August 17, winning the Battle of Gumbinnen. However, their defeat at Tannenberg by September 2 forced a retreat, dashing hopes of reaching Berlin. On the Western Front, following the fall of Liège (Sketch 4), Germany overwhelmed French and British forces at Charleroi and Mons. Advancing along its right flank as planned, German troops reached the outskirts of Amiens, less than 100 kilometers from Paris, by August 30.

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “008,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1. 

Notes on Sketch 9, dated September 2, 1914: Blockade of Jiaozhou Bay

On August 27, the Japanese Navy established a blockade of the German port of Tsingtao (Qingdao), in Jiaozhou Bay, marking the first clash between Japanese and German forces and the first of Itō’s sketches using the imagery of a Japanese cat stalking German rats, who in this sketch hide under a bowl labeled "Jiaozhou" 膠州.

Translation of Okuda Takematsu's commentary and notes on Sketch 10, dated September 4, 1914: German Military Offensive

In the present World War, there has been no battle more critical to the entire course of the war than the Battle of the Marne. Had the French forces been defeated there, Germany would likely have proceeded according to its long-standing strategic plan: first crushing France, and then slowly turning its grand army eastward to destroy Russia. In that case, the war might have ended within three to five months in complete German victory.

However, Germany’s attempt to break through the center of the French front, a move in which it had placed absolute confidence, was met with fierce resistance in a three-day-and-night battle. The offensive was ultimately repelled. In short, Germany's strategy of capitalizing on the enemy’s unpreparedness to deliver a lightning strike and annihilate the French field army ended in total failure at this point.

From that moment on, the war shifted into a war of attrition, and for over four years since, the world has been engulfed in the clouds of war. The current global situation has arisen directly as a consequence. The true turning point in the fortunes of both armies lay in this very battle.

October 5, Taishō 8 (1919)
— Okuda Takematsu

Itō's sketch depicts Germany (独) unleashing its fury against a reeling England (英) and France (仏). As discussed in Okuda's commentary above, Germany's plan to quickly conclude the war by throwing its massive military might first against France and then against Russia did not succeed.

Translation of Katagami Noburu's commentary and notes on Sketch 11, dated September 4, 1914: Russian Army Fights Bravely

This [sketch] can be seen as a prophecy of the European situation about four years after this date, namely in the autumn of Taishō 7 (1918). The bearded man in the center is likely a follower of Lenin or Trotsky, and the revolutionary forces centered around them eventually sparked revolutions first in Germany and Austria.

It would be a mistake to think of this picture as merely a dream from the Romanov imperial era.

— Katagami Noburu

At the time this commentary was written in 1920, Katagami Noburu was serving as chair of the Department of Russian Literature at the newly established Waseda University. In 1915, he traveled to Russia as a study-abroad student from Waseda and witnessed the Russian Revolution of 1917 firsthand. His commentary on Itō’s sketch, depicting Russia clubbing Austria and Germany, interprets the image through the lens of the Bolshevik Revolution.

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “011,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Notes on Sketch 12, dated September 4, 1914: Battle of Heligoland Bight

On August 28, off the coast of Heligoland Island in the North Sea, the British fleet launched a surprise attack on the German light fleet, sinking three light cruisers and one destroyer. This engagement, known as the Battle of Heligoland Bight, became the first full-scale naval battle of World War I. In Itō's sketch, a robust and confident-appearing England (英) has upended Germany (独), shown disappearing beneath the waves.

Notes on Sketch 13, dated September 4, 1914: Britain Profits Greatly

Itō's illustration depicts Britain (英) picking up German colonies while glancing sideways at Germany, Russia, and France fighting on land. Already captured and "in the cage" is the German protectorate of Togoland (トーゴランド) in West Africa (part of present-day Ghana), with the German protectorate of Samoa (サモア), Western Samoa in the South Pacific, now the Independent State of Samoa, being grabbed. On August 29, 1914, New Zealand forces took possession of Samoa without resistance on behalf of the British Empire. Not to be outdone by these developments, Japan too began preparations to seize the German-leased territory of Jiaozhou Bay in China. 

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “013,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Translation of Ubukata Toshirō's commentary on Sketch 14, dated September 5, 1914: Extraordinary Session of the Japanese Imperial Diet

The Frog and the Tobacco

A frog came to a picture shop and looked at a Bonchi-brand tobacco advertisement.
It saw that pictures of frogs like itself were drawn on it, with a note beside them referring to a member of the Diet from Hibiya.
From that day on, the frog started putting on the airs of a Diet member.

First, it put on Western clothes.
Then it drove an automobile.
So as not to be outdone by the Hibiya Diet member, it even set up a mistress’s residence.
It gave and received bribes.
It used passes to go on trips.

Up to that point, the frog had been happy.
But one day, it picked up a discarded cigarette by the roadside.
Thinking that if it just walked around chewing on it, it would finally be a fully authentic Diet member, it joyfully sucked on the butt.

Then, coughing violently, it died.

— Ubukata Toshirō

The extraordinary session of the 34th Imperial Diet (第34回帝国議会・臨時会) convened on September 4, 1914, and concluded on September 9. This emergency session was called explicitly to deal with what Prime Minister Ōkuma Shigenobu termed "military urgent business" (軍国急務)—Japan’s entry into World War I on the side of the Allies. During its brief sitting, the Diet overwhelmingly approved the government’s wartime agenda: establishing a special wartime budget account, appropriating funds for military operations (notably ¥51 million for the Qingdao expedition and the construction of new naval vessels), and formally endorsing Japan’s war aims.

In Itō’s sketch, the members of the legislature are depicted as frogs and toads, a visual motif he would return to in later satirical depictions of the Diet, perhaps echoing the same low regard in which politicians were held by the novelist Ubukata Toshirō, whose commentary, translated above, was penned six years after Itō created his sketch.

The large toad at the tree-stump lectern is clearly meant to represent Prime Minister Ōkuma, delivering his opening address, which began:

Gentlemen,
At this moment of great turmoil among the powers of Europe, I regard it as both an honor and a grave responsibility to stand here with you in this session of the Diet, convened urgently for matters of national defense, to deliberate and assist in shaping Imperial policy. At the same time, I cannot help but be consumed with deep concern, day and night.

In order to preserve lasting peace in the East, and in accordance with the bonds of alliance [with Britain], the Empire has found it unavoidably necessary to enter into war with Germany. This outcome is deeply regrettable.

and concluded with the following:

The government, under Imperial command, has submitted the necessary budget and legislative proposals in order to fulfill these urgent military obligations. I hope that you will give these matters your fair and thorough deliberation, and grant your prompt approval.

At this very hour, the Imperial Army and Navy are braving hardship and demonstrating loyal valor in service to the nation.

With the arrival of this autumn, I join with you—who have yourselves received His Majesty’s gracious Imperial Rescript—in vowing to respond worthily to the Emperor’s profound benevolence.

References:

Ōkuma Shigenobu 大隈重信, "Nichidoku kōsen ni tsuite no enzetsu" 日獨交戰に就ての演説 [Speech on the War between Japan and Germany], September 5, 1914, Database "The World and Japan," Tanaka Akihiko Laboratory, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo, https://worldjpn.net/documents/texts/pm/19140905.SWJ.html. 

Notes on Sketch 15, dated September 5, 1914: Imperial Army Lands at Longkou

On September 2, 1914, Japanese forces began landing at Longkou Bay on the northern coast of the Shandong Peninsula, far beyond the borders of the German-leased territory of Qingdao. Although China had declared neutrality on August 6, explicitly forbidding military operations on its soil by any belligerent power, it later, under pressure from Japan and the Allies, allowed an exception: a 50-kilometer zone around Qingdao where military activity would be tolerated. Japan disregarded this restriction, landing troops well outside the permitted zone without Chinese consent. From the outset, Japan’s objective extended beyond capturing the German concession to occupying the broader Shandong Peninsula, including control of the Jiaozhou–Jinan railway. 

Itō's sketch depicts a large obelisk on the shore inscribed with "Longkou Town" (龍口鎮), as Japanese ships arrive unopposed in the bay. 

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “015,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Translation of Sugimura Kōtarō's commentary and notes on Sketch 16, dated September 7, 1914: Britain, Russia, and France Agree on Peace Terms

1. Once the three of us have firmly agreed to start drinking, we promise not to show weakness partway through by saying things like, “I can’t drink anymore—let’s eat instead.”

2. We promise not to secretly order rice balls from the maid, leaving the other two out.

— Sojinkan

On September 5, the British Foreign Secretary met with the Russian and French ambassadors and adopted the London Declaration (also referred to as the Treaty of London), agreeing that the three countries would not make a separate peace and would not submit peace conditions without the consent of the other Allied nations. This declaration formed the Allied Powers as a community of shared destiny. Later, in October 1915, Japan also joined the London Declaration.

In his sketch, Itō playfully references Japanese group drinking etiquette, suggesting that "once you start drinking together, you cannot finish the sake alone."

The text to the left of the sketch echoes the two main points of the London Declaration of September 5, 1914: "The British, French, and Russian Governments mutually engage not to conclude peace separately during the present war. The three Governments agree that when terms of peace come to be discussed, none of the Allies will demand conditions of peace without the prior agreement of each of the others."

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “016,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office UK Treaties Online https://treaties.fcdo.gov.uk/data/Library2/pdf/1915-TS0001.pdf .

Notes on Sketch 17, dated September 7, 1914: German Army Presses Close to Paris

From August 30 to September 5, the German army advanced to the outskirts of Paris, pushing the French and British forces back to the banks of the Marne River, a tributary of the Seine. 

The cartouches in Itō's sketch read Germany (独乙), France (仏郎西), and, taking refuge behind the French army, Paris (巴里).

Translation of Shimazaki Tōson's commentary and notes on Sketch 18, dated September 7, 1914: French Government Moves to Bordeaux

If one could understand from the beginning that they would have to weep when looking at the caricature they themselves had drawn, then no matter how much they prided themselves on their strength, they might well have thought twice about it.

— Shimazaki Tōson

On September 3, 1914, with German forces advancing toward Paris, the French government issued a proclamation titled "The Abandonment of Paris and the Withdrawal of the French Government to Bordeaux." The notice informed citizens that the government was temporarily relocating to Bordeaux to ensure the continuity of national leadership should Paris fall. The proclamation concluded with a stirring appeal: "People of France, let us prove ourselves worthy of these tragic circumstances. We shall achieve final victory; we shall achieve it through unyielding will, steadfastness, and perseverance. A nation that refuses to die, that does not shrink from suffering or sacrifice in order to survive, is assured of victory."

Itō's sketch shows Germany racing toward Paris (里巴) while the French government shouts from its new headquarters in Bordeaux (ボルドー). Although the exact words aren't depicted, it's easy to imagine the French taunting the advancing German army with cries of, "You can't catch us!" 

References:

"The Abandonment of Paris by the French Government, 3 September 1914," First World War.com, edited by Michael Duffy, accessed January 16, 2026, https://www.firstworldwar.com/source/paris_abandonment_proclamation.htm.

Notes on Sketch 19, dated September 9, 1914: Imperial Planes Fly over Jiaozhou Bay

On September 5, Japan’s first seaplane carrier, Wakamiya, arrived in Jiaozhou Bay. That same day, the two Maurice Farman biplanes it carried conducted reconnaissance flights. This marked the first time the Japanese military deployed aircraft in combat.

Aircraft were a new weapon used in earnest during World War I, and Itō depicted them in the form of monstrous birds in this and later sketches. The swords raining down in Itō's drawing are based on reports that bombs were dropped from the seaplanes on German wireless telegraph stations and military barracks.

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “019,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Translation of Sugimura Kōtarō's commentary and notes on Sketch 20, dated September 10, 1914: Flood Attack on Azuchi Castle

There is a school of swordsmanship in Kii [Kishū] Province called the Odaka-ryū. It specializes in sweeping the opponent’s legs. If, however, one enters a fight fully prepared from the outset to have one's legs swept, and rushes in swiftly to strike, then even if one’s own legs are indeed cut down, one may, at that same moment, succeed in taking off the enemy’s head.

If the German forces from the start were resigned to getting wet, what could a flood attack ultimately hope to achieve?

— Sojinkan 

Itō's sketch is a critique of the tactic used by the Belgian army (白, the figure in the yellow wading pool) of deliberately flooding the Yser River plain to create a natural barrier against the German (独) advance. The sketch title Flood Attack on Azuchi Castle is a reference to the similarity in futility of the Belgian tactic to a "flood attack" on Azuchi Castle, the castle being a mountain-top castle surrounded by a moat.

Translation of Okuda Takematsu's commentary and notes on Sketch 21, dated September 10, 1914: Japanese Nationals in Germany Detained

Turning pale as the flash of a shooting star,

wondering if it was a human soul.

— Takematsu

I have attempted to capture the essence of Takematsu’s above poetic commentary, perhaps best described as a free-form senryū, in a manner that preserves both its immediacy and ambiguity. The connection between his brief, imagistic verse and Itō Chūta’s satirical sketch titled Japanese Nationals Detained in Germany, in which he depicts the detained Japanese nationals as a politician, a businessman, a clown, a traditionally dressed woman, and a final figure dressed as a prisoner, remains open to interpretation. 

In the early days of Japan's involvement in World War I, the detentions of Japanese nationals in Germany appear to have been limited to a small number of isolated cases. After war broke out, the German authorities predominantly detained nationals from Britain and France, who were considered enemy aliens. Information on Japanese detainees remains limited; however, a 2019 article titled "World War I and the Issue of Detained Japanese Nationals in Germany (Part One)" estimates their total number at around 130. This article also includes an English-language account published on May 4, 1915, in the Japan Times, titled "Evidence Gathers Gradually," describing the experiences of a Japanese businessman, referred to as "a Mr. Ikeda, one of the Japanese detained in Germany the longest," and mentions several other detainees.

References: 

梶原克彦・奈良岡聰智「第一次世界大戦と在独日本人の抑留問題（一）」『愛媛大学法文学部論集』 [Kajiwara Katsuhiko and Naraoka Sōchi, "World War I and the Internment of Japanese Nationals in Germany, Part 1," Bulletin of the Faculty of Law and Letters, Ehime University]. 

Translation of Watanabe Tchifuyu's commentary and notes on Sketch 22, dated September 12, 1914: French Offensive

A wrestler picked a quarrel with a jujutsu master. With a single move, he lifted the master into the air on his outstretched arms. The master said to the wrestler, "Would you dare throw me to the ground? Before you even have time, I will kill you with a kick." Seized with fright, the wrestler, still holding his opponent in his arms, began to run in all directions, shouting: "Murder! Murder!" This is a true story.

Remembering this wrestler, I cannot help but laugh when I think of the German army, which, from the very first days of September 1914, began to retreat along the entire front.

— Tchifuyu Watanabé

In the first half of September 1914, France launched a major counteroffensive against Germany on the Western Front during what became known as the First Battle of the Marne (September 5–12, 1914), halting the German advance and saving Paris.

Translation of Sugimura Kōtarō's commentary and notes on Sketch 23, dated September 12, 1914: Kaiser’s Dream in the Camp

When one general fails to succeed, brave bones wither.

— So  

Sugimura inverts the well-known proverb that criticizes the brutal cost of victory in war: "When one general achieves success, ten thousand bones wither" (Isshō kō narite bankotsu karu), into a darker, more ironic version: "When one general fails to succeed, brave bones wither" (Isshō kō narazu, yūkotsu karu). 

In Itō's sketch, the Kaiser is awakened from his dream by the skeletons of his own fallen soldiers.

Notes on Sketch 24, dated September 12, 1914: German Forces Turn East to Rescue Austrian Army

Austria, a member of the Central Powers, suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Russian army in early September, losing the Galician capital of Lemberg (present-day Lviv in western Ukraine) on September 2. This forced its ally Germany to dispatch reinforcements following its victory over Russia in the Battle of Tannenberg (August 26–30).

The sketch depicts Germany (独) rushing to the aid of an exhausted Austria (墺). The bright red fresh blood on the sword suggests that the German reinforcements had come straight from combat on the Western Front. 

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “024,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Translation of Narusawa Kinbei's [Reisen] commentary on Sketch 25, dated September 13, 1914: The Nations of the World Watch the European Inferno

Fire! Fire! 1914

Fire! Fire! 1915

Fire! Fire! 1916

Fire! Fire! 1917

Fire! Fire! 1918

— Reisen

Notes on Sketch 26, dated September 16, 1914: Occupation of Jimo

For this sketch, Itō invokes the Japanese folktale of the "Peach Boy," Momotarō, who, with his animal companions, defeats the demons (oni) terrorizing a distant land. In this sketch we see Momotarō, with his assistants, a dog, monkey, and a goose (a pheasant in the original folktale), surveilling the Chinese port city of Qingdao (青島), while German demons stand sentry behind its walls. Momotarō and his crew are shown outside the gate to the city of Jimo (即墨) about 25 miles north of Qingdao. On September 13, Japanese forces seized Jimo, a northern gateway to Qingdao. The German garrison at Qingdao surrendered on November 7. 

Translation of Sugimura Kōtarō's commentary and notes on Sketch 27, dated September 16, 1914: Austria, Russia, Germany, and France Chase One Another, Striking at Each Other's Rear

Austria

It’s not that I’m showing my back to the enemy.
It’s just that there’s no enemy left willing to face me head-on.
Believe it or not, I’m the one who smashed Serbia.

— So (楚)

Itō's sketch shows a stumbling Austria (墺) being pursued by a club-wielding Russia (露), who is being pursued by a sword-wielding Germany (独), who is in turn being attacked from behind by a lance-bearing France (佛).

Notes on Sketch 28, dated September 16, 1914: Germany’s Hollow Stoicism

When hopes for a quick and decisive victory faded, the burden of military expenditures weighed heavily on the German economy.

In his sketch, Itō portrays Germany (独) being struck down by the twin gods of Gold (金の神) and War (戦の神), symbolizing the crushing toll of both finance and conflict.

Translation of Sugimura Kōtarō's commentary and notes on Sketch 29, dated September 17, 1914: Belgium Rejects Germany's Sweet Talk

A wary Belgium (白) reaches for her short sword as the German (獨) demon leers at her, smiling and tugging at her robe.

Sugimura Kōtarō’s commentary translated below draws from the response of Belgium Foreign Minister, Julien Davignon, rejecting a German ultimatum to grant German troops free passage or be considered an enemy.*

Well, this is outrageous.

In the Treaty of 1839, it was stipulated under the guarantee of the powers that I (Belgium) would remain neutral and that no one would violate that. Included among those "powers” was, indeed, the Government of His Majesty the King of Prussia,” was it not? And now, you come and tell me to disregard that—what is the meaning of this?

I don’t know what strategic reasons you may have, but there is no logic that can justify breaking a nation’s honor on such grounds. I do not believe that I must abandon my honor in order to maintain my independence. If you insist on enforcing your will by brute force, then so be it—I am prepared.

If necessary, I shall respond with force of arms.

— From the Belgian Foreign Minister’s reply to the German Ambassador to Belgium, August 3, 1914

*For the text of Davignon's reply, see "Belgian Report on German Ultimatum of 2 August 1914," First World War.com, last modified August 22, 2009, https://www.firstworldwar.com/source/belgianreportongermanultimatum.htm

Notes on Sketch 30, dated September 17, 1914: German Army Dashes Madly East and West

Due to the failure of its Schlieffen Plan, a military strategy aimed at avoiding a two-front war with France and Russia by quickly defeating France before turning to face Russia, Germany was forced to divide its military strength between east and west, having to confront both France and Russia simultaneously.

In Itō’s sketch, a frenzied wild boar representing Germany is under attack by Russia and France, while a crowd looks on and cheers. The image appears to draw inspiration from an episode in the Soga Monogatari, in which a wounded wild boar, bristling with arrows, was so enraged that no one dared approach it until Tadatsune, the retainer of Kudō Suketsune, leapt onto its back and killed it with his short sword, ending its rampage.

Notes on Sketch 31, dated September 19, 1914: German Cruiser Emden Raids the Bay of Bengal

The German East Asia Squadron’s light cruiser Emden left Qingdao on August 7, prior to the outbreak of war between Japan and Germany, and moved to the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean, where it carried out aggressive commerce-raiding operations. In addition to disrupting Allied maritime transport, one of its aims was to inflame anti-British sentiment in India. The Emden captured or sank 27 Allied vessels, instilling fear in the Allied forces. At the same time, it became known for its adherence to international law and its courteous treatment of captured crews.

See Sketch 87 to learn the Emden's fate.

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “031,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Translation of Narusawa Kinbei's commentary and notes on Sketch 32, dated September 19, 1914: Germany Requests Arbitration from the United States

“Hey boss, if the fish is willing, the water is too*—can’t you lend us a hand?” 

“Hmph, I think I’ll have to beg off for the time being.” 

— Reisen

*Narusawa uses the Japanese proverb 魚心あれば水心, "if the fish is well disposed toward the water, the water will respond in kind,​" suggesting some type of reciprocal arrangement. 

Itō's sketch was in response to unsubstantiated reports that Germany had requested arbitration from the United States. In reality, there was no formal request for arbitration. Rather, German Emperor Wilhelm II protested to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, alleging that British forces were using dumdum bullets, prohibited under the 1907 Hague Convention, apparently in order to gauge the U.S. reaction. He also sent a telegram defending the German army’s massacre of Belgian civilians in Leuven, claiming they had acted as a guerrilla force against the occupying troops. These messages were interpreted by some as a veiled appeal for American arbitration.

On September 16, President Wilson replied that the United States was not in a position to render judgment on the use of dum-dum bullets and publicly reaffirmed American neutrality.

In this sketch, America (米), represented by a long-chinned caricature of President Woodrow Wilson, makes its first appearance. He is shown calmly listening to the protestations and explanations of Germany (独), depicted as a figure with a Kaiser Wilhelm II-style mustache. Italy (伊) and another neutral nation, designated by the character 覀, look on with bored expressions.*

*The character 覀, a radical form of 西, might represent Spain (西班牙), a neutral nation during this phase of the war. 

Notes on Sketch 33, dated September 20, 1914: The Kaiser Is Cornered

In this satirical sketch, Itō depicts the German Kaiser (カイゼル) roused from his sleep by an angry crowd gathered at his doorstep. The scene reflects the growing domestic unrest caused by the Allied naval blockade, led by Britain and France, which began in August at the start of the war and quickly took a toll on Germany’s home front.

The Kaiser, visibly dismayed, holds up his hands in a defensive gesture as the crowd presses forward, carrying empty bags labeled with signs of wartime scarcity: "Bakery" (ぱん屋), "Ammunition Shop" (彈丸屋), and "Fuel Shop" (薪炭屋). These symbolize the severe shortages of food, munitions, and fuel that afflicted the German civilians and the military early in the conflict.

Translation of Sugimura Kōtarō's commentary and notes on Sketch 34, dated September 22, 1914: German Cruiser Königsberg Attacks British Ship Under Repair in South Africa

The German warship is named Ōdate Shichirōzaemon.

The British warship is named Ukita Tamijirō.

But there is no Japanese warship named Sano Shikajūrō.

— So

In Sugimura's commentary above, the three names of the warships are taken from the revenge drama "Sano Shikajūrō," with the German ship the Königsberg being likened to the villainous swordsman Ōdate Shichirōzaemon, the British warship likened to the wronged and banished Ukita Tamijirō and the absent Japanese warship likened to Sano Shikajūrō, the avenger who has not yet entered the scene.

While the sketch's title places the attack on the British ship in South Africa, the actual incident was the Königsberg's sinking of the British HMS Pegasus in Zanzibar harbor on September 20.

Translation of Itō Chūta's commentary and notes on Sketch 35, dated September 23, 1914: It’s Not Yet Your Turn to Appear

It’s not your turn to appear yet.

— Chūta

Nearly two months into the war, Itō's sketch depicts the "on-stage" God of War (戰の神) telling the "off-stage" Goddess of Peace (平和の神), "It’s not your turn to appear yet" (まだ御前の出る幕じゃない). The so-called "war to end all wars" would rage on until November 11, 1918, when Germany agreed to a ceasefire. The Treaty of Versailles would be signed on June 28, 1919, leaving more than 15 million dead in the war’s wake.

Notes on Sketch 36, dated September 23, 1914: Stalemate Between the Two Armies

After the Franco-British counteroffensive at the Battle of the Marne (see Sketch 22), the Western Front settled into a prolonged stalemate. Although the French and British forces succeeded in pushing the German army back toward the Aisne River, they halted their advance upon encountering well-fortified German positions. Further pursuit was deemed too risky. Both sides were exhausted and suffering from shortages of ammunition and supplies, resulting in a deadlock. This balance of forces is precisely what Itō has depicted with France (仏) and Germany (独), shown as two equals, facing off in the sumo ring.

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “036,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Translation of Ishikawa Chiyomatsu's commentary and notes on Sketch 37, dated September 24, 1914: German Submarine Sinks Three British Ships in the North Sea

This is truly the water-imp's fart!
No! No! Hee!

— Ishikawa Chiyomatsu

By using the expression "a water-imp's fart" ("kappa no he!"), Ishikawa conveys that the British ships were good for nothing.

On September 22, a German U-boat attacked and sank three older-class British cruisers, HMS Aboukir, HMS Hogue, and HMS Cressy, with a loss of over 1,400 British seamen. The attack was an early devastating blow to British Navy morale. 

Notes on Sketch 38, dated September 25, 1914: Austria’s Internal Turmoil and Foreign Threats

In its early engagements with Russia, the Austrian army suffered heavy losses (see Sketch 24), which not only put it at a disadvantage in the ongoing war but also hastened the decline of the Habsburg dynasty’s authority under Emperor Franz Joseph I. 

Itō’s sketch vividly portrays Austria’s dire condition: Russia (露) brandishes a sledgehammer, while Austria (墺), in the form of a bedridden husband, lies beneath a quilt. Around him, a grieving wife, a weeping, hungry child, and furious figures, representing the fractious ethnic groups within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, invade the sanctuary of his home, causing him to throw up his arms in despair. 

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “038,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Notes on Sketch 39, dated September 25, 1914: Four German Princes Wounded, Emperor Enraged

Although the four German princes depicted in the sketch are unnamed, historical records indicate that at least nine German princes were killed in the early months of World War I. The first was Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Lippe-Biesterfeld, who died in action on August 6, 1914, during the Battle of Liège. He was followed soon after by 18-year-old Prince Ernst of Saxe-Meiningen, who was shot in the head in mid-August.

Kaiser Wilhelm, portrayed as a demon in the sketch, sent a message of condolence following Prince Friedrich Wilhelm’s death to the reigning Prince of Lippe. In it, he wrote:

I beg you to accept the expression of my sincerest sympathy on the occasion of the death of your worthy uncle, who, as a shining example of a brave German Prince, died at the head of his regiment at Liège for Emperor and empire.

References:

"German Princes Who Have Fallen in the War; Of Sixty-Four Scions of Princely Families of the Empire Who Went to the Front Nine Have Been Killed, Including a Nephew of the Kaiser," New York Times, October 31, 1915, Sunday Magazine, p. 68, TimesMachine, https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1915/10/31/101570495.html?pageNumber=68.

Notes on Sketch 40, dated September 26, 1914: Entangled Limbs

In the campaign to capture Qingdao, approximately 20,000 Japanese troops were joined by around 1,500 British troops, principally one army battalion, supported by two naval vessels. This cooperation caused some delays in coordination, but for Britain, it was a way to prevent Japan from unilaterally expanding the operation or monopolizing gains. For Japan, it served to demonstrate it had no territorial ambitions and to legitimize its intervention internationally.

After capturing Jimo (see Sketch 026) and eliminating threats from inland, Japan landed a second wave at Laoshan Bay near Qingdao on September 18–19. The unloading of heavy artillery and siege equipment followed. Suspecting Japan might seize Qingdao alone, Britain requested that its landing be moved up. Japan complied, allowing British forces to go ashore first on September 23–24.

Itō's sketch depicts a vibrant Japan (日) confidently pointing the way toward Qingdao and the German (獨) forces, while a weary and frail-looking Britain (英) tries to keep up. This reflects the tone of contemporary Japanese newspaper reports, which portrayed Britain as a virtual "ball and chain," hindering Japan’s swift advance.

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “040,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Notes on Sketch 41, dated September 26, 1914: Destruction of Reims Cathedral

Beginning on September 18, Germany, under the pretext that the cathedral tower was being used for military observation, began shelling Reims Cathedral, ultimately leading to its devastation.

Reims Cathedral, begun in 1211, is celebrated as a masterpiece of High Gothic architecture. It served for centuries as the coronation site of French monarchs and holds deep historical and symbolic significance for the French nation.

In response to its destruction, the French president promptly issued a statement of protest to multiple nations, condemning the bombardment as a needless act of cultural devastation and using it to underscore what was portrayed as German "barbarism."

In this sketch, Itō, an architect by training, depicts the cathedral not as caricature but with striking realism, capturing the rose window and architectural detail with care. As the demons of war descend upon the scene, chaos unfolds, and angelic figures flee in fear.

Translation of Horiuchi Bunjirō's commentary and notes on Sketch 42, dated September 27, 1914: General Attack by the Army Encircling Jiaozhou Bay

The white-haired prime minister is driven into a corner by Prussian strongmen.*

— Horiuchi Shinsui

*Horiuchi's comment is likely a reference to German imperial chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg's reputation for yielding to persons more extreme and more forceful than himself, including capitulating to the German general staff who pushed for an immediate declaration of war in early August 1914. 

On September 26, the Japanese army established a forward base outside Qingdao and completed its encirclement in preparation for a general assault on Jiaozhou Bay. Between September 18 and 19, a second wave of Japanese troops landed at Laoshan Bay, near Qingdao (see Sketch 40), and joined the first wave, which had advanced southward from Longkou Bay. The full-scale assault officially began on October 31, the day of the official celebration (tenchōsetsu) of Emperor Taishō's birthday.

Itō depicts Germany with indigo-colored kumadori (kabuki-style makeup), marking it as the villain and invoking the visual conventions of kabuki theater.

Notes on Sketch 43, dated October 2, 1914: Imperial Army Captures the Line at Wushan and Gushan

The Land of the Rising Sun still has men of valor.

— Keigetsu

On September 28, as part of their gradual approach to the German-held city of Qingdao, Japanese forces reached and seized the high ground connecting Gushan (孤山) and Wushan (巫山). Over the following month, they prepared for a full-scale assault on the city. During this carefully planned military campaign, known as the Siege of Qingdao, Japanese troops systematically captured key strategic positions in the surrounding hills before launching their final attack, as depicted in Itō's sketch. 

Notes on Sketch 44, dated October 2, 1914: Protest over Neutrality Violation at Weixian

Itō depicts a terrified and unwilling Chinese man, sword in hand, being forced forward by the German Kaiser to confront a mounted Japanese samurai in full armor. The confrontation unfolds at the gate of the town of Weixian (濰縣).

During Japan’s advance toward the German concession at Qingdao, the Japanese government pressured China, despite its formal declaration of neutrality on August 6, 1914, to allow Japanese troops to pass through the eastern region between Weixian and Zhucheng. Japan quickly disregarded the limited permission granted to it, pushing its forces beyond the agreed line and causing significant civilian casualties along the route. (See Sketch 15.) In response, the Chinese government issued strong diplomatic protests, denouncing Japan’s violation of Chinese neutrality and the actions of its troops.

Notes on Sketch 45, dated October 5, 1914: German Cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau Sink French Ships in the South Seas

In Itō's sketch, two sea monsters attack a defenseless mermaid in turbulent waters. 

On September 22, the German armored cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, part of the German East Asia Squadron, shelled Papeete on the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia and sank the French gunboat Zélée and the unarmed freighter Walküre. 

Notes on Sketch 46, dated October 5, 1914: The Kaiser Barely Escapes with His Life

Itō's sketch pictures a fleeing German officer forced to retreat from positions near the Niemen River (signpost reading ニーメン河) in German East Prussia after a late September counterattack by Russian forces. 

Regarding the sketch’s title, "The Kaiser Barely Escapes with His Life," Emperor Wilhelm II did make a brief appearance at the front in late August 1914 but was quickly withdrawn from any real danger. Some reports, however, exaggerated the threat he faced, claiming he narrowly escaped advancing Russian forces. 

Between late September and October 5, 1914, the date of Itō’s sketch, German and Russian forces clashed along the Niemen River following Germany’s victory at the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes in East Prussia. Seeking to extend their offensive, German forces pursued the retreating Russian First Army and attempted to cross the Niemen to sustain their momentum. However, well-prepared Russian defenses ambushed the Germans mid-river, inflicting heavy casualties and repelling multiple crossing attempts. 

From September 26 to 28, Russian forces launched a major counteroffensive, known as the Battle of the Niemen, driving the Germans back into East Prussia. The front stabilized near the East Prussian–Russian border, effectively halting the German advance and restoring the strategic balance on the Eastern Front.*

*The Eastern Front was a vast theater of military operations that stretched from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south.  

Translation of Sugimura Kōtarō's commentary and notes on Sketch 47, dated October 6, 1914: Both Armies Exhausted

Sparse shadows slanting

— So

Itō’s sketch captures the exhaustion of the French (佛) and German (獨) armies, held upright only by their crossed swords in a frozen moment of struggle. By early October 1914, both armies were depleted and the war had reached a stalemate on the Western Front. The First Battle of the Marne (September 6–12) had inflicted heavy casualties, about 250,000 on each side, and shattered hopes for a quick German victory. 

Sugimura’s use of the phrase 疎影横斜 ("sparse shadows slanting") in his commentary above Itō’s sketch is drawn from a Song dynasty poem by Lin Bu, in which the delicate shadows of plum branches fall obliquely across a tranquil stream. The phrase evokes a sense of stillness after tension, subtly mirroring the exhausted stalemate depicted in the sketch.

Notes on Sketch 48, dated October 6, 1914: Occupation of Jaluit Island

On September 29, 1914, the Japanese Navy occupied Jaluit Island in the Marshall Islands. (The signpost in the sketch reads マーシャル君羊列島内ヤルート烏, meaning "Jaluit Island in the Marshall Archipelago," though some characters appear to be stylized or miswritten.)

Immediately after the outbreak of war, Japan planned a southward naval expedition and, under the pretext of searching for the German East Asia Squadron, proceeded to seize German territories throughout the western Pacific. The landing on Jaluit was completed without resistance from the German garrison.

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “048,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Translation of Shimomura Hiroshi's commentary and notes on Sketch 49, dated October 7, 1914: Belgium Moves Its Capital to Ostend 

Shimomura, who had spent time in Belgium prior to the war, provides the following poetic commentary to Itō’s sketch:

Even Antwerp, long hailed as an impregnable fortress, fell swiftly before the force of modern arms.
Such is the power of time.

In the early stages of the war, the days that the German army spent besieging Liège and Antwerp were such that, even with several years to come, they could never make up for the losses they suffered.
This too is the power of time.

To the sound of war drums in Ostend—like the roar of the sea—
Did the young king smile?
In the Kurhaus, cannon fire rang like music to the ear.
On that godless October night, I remember King Albert [King Albert I of Belgium].

— Shimomura Hiroshi

The German government declared war on Belgium on August 4, 1914, and soon thereafter German troops crossed the border and began the Battle of Liège; the city fell on August 7. The Belgian government evacuated Brussels on August 17 and transferred its seat first to Antwerp. As German forces closed on Antwerp in early October, the ministers withdrew to Ostend and, on October 13, continued by sea to Le Havre (see Sketch 57), establishing the Belgian government at nearby Sainte-Adresse. King Albert I and the Belgian field army, however, remained in western Belgium near the Yser front.  

Despite the title of the sketch, Brussels remained the capital, even after its capture in August.

The sign on the closed gate reads "We have withdrawn—to Ostend" and the street lamp reads "Antwerp."

Notes on Sketch 50, dated October 7, 1914: Occupation of the Shandong Railway

In his sketch, Itō depicts a British soldier gathering up the railway line, represented as a rope leading to Jinan (済南).

Japan captured the German-leased territory in Shandong, including the port city of Qingdao, in November 1914, aided by a small contingent of British forces. Throughout the campaign, however, Japan remained cautious of British intentions, suspecting its ally might seek control of the strategically vital railway linking Qingdao to Jinan, the provincial capital. The 1919 Treaty of Versailles would later formalize Japan’s control over the territory, including the railway.

Translation of Narusawa Kinbei's commentary and notes on Sketch 51, dated October 8, 1914: German Tethered Balloon at Qingdao Drifts Away

Balloons recognize no borders;

If only human thoughts

Could drift as freely.

— Reisen

On October 7, the rope of a manned observation balloon launched by the German army for reconnaissance over its own lines broke, and both the balloon and its observer drifted out over the sea.

While it is possible the balloon was circular in shape as depicted by Itō, the most commonly used observation balloon during the early months of WWI was the sausage-shaped German Dracheballon.

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “051,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Translation of Narusawa Kinbei's commentary and notes on Sketch 52, dated October 8, 1914: Allied Forces Lack Unity

Command

March!
March!
March!

Marching

Out of step
Out of step

— Reisen

Itō depicts soldiers from England (英吉利), Belgium (白耳義), India (インド), France (フランス), Canada (カナダ), and Algeria (アルジェリア) in their different uniforms marching out of step.

The countries that made up the Allied forces were not always in full coordination. Military operations at the time were generally conducted on a national basis, and a framework for joint Allied operations was not established until the Chantilly Conference in December 1915.

Translation of Sugimura Kōtarō's commentary and notes on Sketch 53, dated October 9, 1914: Failure to Show One's Colors

Romania: "The one who has stepped forward before you is the Latin Hohenzollern."

Italy: "I don't know if it's going to rain or shine, but I think I'll just put on my boots and see what happens."

Turkey: “And indeed, what a notion it was of mine to choose the crescent as my banner. Beneath the hazy spring new moon, it cuts a most vague and indistinct figure.”

— So

In October 1914, Italy (伊太利), Romania (羅馬尼), and Turkey (土耳其), caricatured from right to left in the sketch, were all officially neutral. Itō disguises the true identities of each nation, using allegorical creatures as a metaphor for their reluctance to reveal their intentions or, in contemporary political terms, their failure to "show their colors."

Although Italy and Romania were nominal members of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, neither chose to enter the war at that time. Turkey, the commonly used contemporary designation for the Ottoman Empire, had concluded a secret alliance with Germany in August 1914 but had not yet openly committed itself to hostilities. Later that month, however, Ottoman naval forces attacked Russian ports in the Black Sea, effectively bringing the empire into the war on the side of the Central Powers.

Italy and Romania would ultimately abandon their earlier neutrality and align themselves with the Allied Powers, entering the war in May 1915 and August 1916, respectively.

Translation of Sugimura Kōtarō's commentary and notes on Sketch 54, dated October 10, 1914: Fall of Azuchi Castle

England: “There it goes!”
France: “There it goes!”
Chorus: “There it goes—there it goes—”

 — So

Itō likens the German invasion of neutral Belgium (白) at the start of WWI and the passivity of the Allies, in particular England (英) and France (佛), in the face of German (獨) aggression, to the fall and swift destruction of Oda Nobunaga’s magnificent Azuchi Castle, following his death in 1582.

Translation of Tanaka Kiichi's commentary and notes on Sketch 55, dated October 11, 1914: Death of the King of Romania

To stand for both sides is to stand for none.
Ah, how difficult it is to be the monarch of a small and weak nation.

— Kiichi

Itō depicts an emaciated and conflicted King Carol (国王) of Romania being pulled in opposite directions by the pro-Russian camp (親露派) on the right and the pro-German camp (親独派) on the left.

King Carol I of Romania died on 10 October 1914, tormented by conflicting loyalties to his German homeland and his sovereign duties to Romania. Retreating to Sinaia in his final weeks, he faced press hostility and intense pressure from Central Powers diplomats demanding Romania honor its alliance. Historian Nicolae Iorga described him as "deserted, almost forgotten and dead among the living." Austro-Hungarian envoy Ottokar von Czernin recalled each message to the king as "the lash of a whip." Carol’s death cleared the path for Prime Minister Ion I.C. Brătianu to pivot Romania toward the Allies.

References:

Daniel Cain, "Carol I, King of Romania," in 1914-1918-online: International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. Ute Daniel et al., Freie Universität Berlin, 2014, https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/carol-i-king-of-romania/.

Notes on Sketch 56, dated October 13, 1914: German Plane Threatens Notre-Dame in Paris

In Itō's sketch, the gargoyles of Notre-Dame point with fear toward the demon-piloted monstrous bird dropping bombs on the cathedral. 

On October 11, 1914, a German airplane dropped four bombs around Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of which landed on the roof, starting a small fire. 

The New York Times

October 12, 1914

NOTRE DAME ROOF SET AFIRE

But Cathedral is Only Slightly Damaged; Nuns in Garden Narrowly Escape

Special Cable to The New York Times

PARIS, Oct. 11, (Dispatch to The London Daily Chronicle.) — Two German aviators threw a rain of bombs upon Paris early this afternoon. It is officially announced that twenty projectiles were thrown. Three persons were killed and fourteen injured, while the Cathedral of Notre Dame was hit and slightly damaged, although it was first reported that the bomb had not exploded.

References:

Excerpt from "Notre Dame Roof Set Afire," New York Times, October 12, 1914, p. 1, TimesMachine https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1914/10/12/106727974.html?pageNumber=1.

Notes on Sketch 57, dated October 14, 1914: Belgian Government Relocates to Le Havre, France

Itō's sketch portrays the Belgian government’s retreat from Ostend before advancing German forces during World War I, symbolized by a lone samurai carrying the bundled nation of Belgium (白). The milepost reads Port of Le Havre, 57 ri to Paris, 22 ri to Rouen. Along the winding road are the capital Brussels (ブルウセル), Azuchi Castle (安土城), and Ostend (オステンド), where the government relocated as Brussels came under attack. The inclusion of Azuchi Castle (安土城), a once-magnificent fortress built by Oda Nobunaga but quickly destroyed after his death, likens Belgium’s abandoned seat of government to the fall of a proud stronghold, recalling a past Japanese tragedy to comment on the present European one. 

The poem written by Toki Zenmaro tells of a man's longing for his homeland, yearning to return.

Notes on Sketch 58, dated October 14, 1914: German Submarine Sinks the Pallada and Falls into Enemy Hands

On October 11, 1914, off the coast of Hanko, Finland, in the Baltic Sea, the German submarine SM U-26 sank the Imperial Russian armored cruiser Pallada with a single torpedo, resulting in the loss of all 600 crew members. Despite the title of Itō’s sketch, SM U-26 did not fall into enemy hands immediately after the attack. It remained in service until late August 1915, when it struck a Russian mine off the Finnish coast and sank with its entire crew of 30.

Notes on Sketch 59, dated October 14, 1914: Aerial Battle in the Wintry Skies over Qingdao

On October 13, 1914, an aerial engagement took place over Qingdao between Japanese seaplanes launched from the carrier Wakamiya and a single German Taube monoplane. While Itō depicts the German plane as floundering, no damage was sustained by any of the aircraft. Though inconclusive, this early encounter is considered one of the first recorded air-to-air combats and marks a milestone in naval aviation history.

Notes on Sketch 60, dated October 16, 1914: Warsaw in Peril

Itō depicts a smiling Russia (露) offering the city of Warsaw (ワルシヤウ) to an overextended Germany (独). By mid-October, Russia had reinforced its positions around Warsaw to halt the slow-moving German advance, which was progressing on foot and horseback. Facing an increasingly untenable logistical situation, the Germans withdrew on October 20. 

Translation of Toki Zenmaro's commentary and notes on Sketch 61, dated October 16, 1914: Removing the Mask for a Brief Rest

In the midst of the "war to end all wars," Toki invokes the words of Confucius: 

By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.

— Toki Ai[ka]

Itō depicts a weary but momentarily relaxed France (佛), Russia (露), and Germany (独), their "masks of war" temporarily set aside. 

Notes on Sketch 62, dated October 18, 1914: German Forces Occupy Ostend

On October 15, German forces occupied the Belgian port city of Ostend on the North Sea coast, which they would later use as a submarine base. Itō's sketch shows Germany in full battle gear, peering across the English Channel toward London (ロンドン). Despite the image’s suggestion, an amphibious invasion of England was never seriously considered due to British naval superiority. Instead, Ostend served as a strategic launching point for German U-boat attacks on British and Allied shipping in the North Sea and the English Channel. 

Notes on Sketch 63, dated October 18, 1914: Britain Seeks to Involve Portugal

While Itō’s sketch depicts Britain (英) attempting to pull a reluctant Portugal (葡), still neutral in October 1914, into the war on the side of the Allies, hostilities between Germany and Portugal had already begun in Africa, fueled by tensions between their respective colonial possessions. The conflict escalated significantly after Portugal seized German merchant ships in Lisbon’s harbor on February 23, 1916, prompting Germany to declare war on March 9. Notably, Portugal and Britain shared a centuries-old alliance dating back to the Treaty of Windsor in 1386.

Translation of Narusawa Kinbei's commentary and notes on Sketch 64, dated October 20, 1914: British Ships Sink Four German Vessels off the Dutch Coast

“...‘Come now, let us sink this wretch into the sea and chill the livers of the likes of Shigemitsu!’ so he declared, taking up a great arrow and nocking it to his bow. With a twist of his sturdy elbow, he drew it back and let it fly with a he-ra-futsu [whooshing sound], striking just five inches above the waterline.

The shaft pierced clean through the belly of the great ship, water gushing in through both entry and exit wounds. In an instant, the vessel was overwhelmed.

Led by Tadashige, over three hundred soldiers sank to the ocean floor, entombed in the bellies of great sea creatures...”

(From Chūsetsu Yumihari-zuki [Strange Tales of the Crescent Moon])

— Rei [Reisen]

Itō draws inspiration from an episode in the Japanese novel Strange Tales of the Crescent Moon, in which the legendary archer Minamoto no Tametomo sinks a Taira ship with a single arrow by piercing its hull below the waterline. He likens this feat to the sinking of four German torpedo boats by a British squadron, one light cruiser and four destroyers, on October 17, 1914, approximately 50 miles off the coast of Texel in the North Sea, near the northern coast of the Netherlands. 

Translation of Sugimura Kōtarō's commentary and notes on Sketch 65, dated October 21, 1914: German Ships Escape Jiaozhou Bay

A thief

never enters

through the front gate.

— Sojinkan [seal]

On October 20, Japan announced that the German destroyer S90 had escaped the Jiaozhou Bay blockade but was soon scuttled. When Japan imposed the blockade four days after declaring war on Germany (see Sketch 9), the main German fleet was already absent. Only five gunboats and the S90 remained in the harbor. The gunboats were scuttled by their crews to avoid capture, but the S90 slipped past the blockade and, before dawn on October 17, torpedoed and sank the Japanese cruiser Takachiho (see Sketch 66). However, unable to return to the blockaded port, she was scuttled by her own crew on that same day, October 17, 1914, near the coast of China. 

References:

"Siege of Tsingtao," Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Tsingtao

Translation of Narusawa Kinbei's commentary and notes on Sketch 66, dated October 21, 1914: Imperial Navy Cruiser Takachiho Sinks

Damn it! (Shimatta!)

Was it a planted mine?
A drifting mine?
Rumors and hearsay
Spread without end.

— Reisen

In the early hours of October 18, the warship Takachiho, stationed on the blockade line in Jiaozhou Bay, exploded and sank in just five minutes after being hit by a single torpedo fired from the German destroyer S90. (See Sketch 65.) Of the 271 crew members, all but three perished. The Naval Ministry announced the incident on the 19th. It was the first Japanese warship to be sunk during World War I, and various speculations circulated regarding the cause. (See Sketch 68.)

References:

Kurakata Shunsuke 倉方俊輔, commentary on Itō Chūta’s sketch “066,” in Itō Chūta 伊東忠太 and Sugimura Kōtarō 杉村廣太郎, 阿修羅帖 [Ashura-chō], 5 vols. (Tokyo: Yumani Shobō ゆまに書房, 2013), vol. 1.

Note on Sketch 68, dated October 24, 1914: The Truth Behind the Sinking of the Takachiho

At the time of the sinking of the Japanese cruiser Takachiho during the Siege of Tsingtao (Qingdao) in October 1914, the prevailing, and officially accepted, explanation was that the ship had been torpedoed by the German torpedo boat S90. (See Sketch 66.)

Despite clear evidence supporting this account, unfounded rumors still circulated. Itō Chūta mocks these rumors in his satirical sketch, portraying a fox labeled "S90" unleashing an enormous blast, clearly a flatulence-powered "torpedo," into a panicked Japanese sailor. Narusawa Reisen’s accompanying commentary underscores the absurdity of such rumors, pointing out how laughable they were.

Translation of Toki Zenmaro's commentary and notes on Sketch 69, dated October 25, 1914: German Cruiser Emden Roams the Seas

You ride the surging waves—
Eastward? Westward?
🎵 Surely you won’t have gone far,
You were on this course…
But even in pursuit,
It’s over the sea—
How sorrowful.

— Ai

Before her destruction in November 1914 at the hands of an Australian warship, the German cruiser Emden had a formidable record, sinking or capturing 27 Allied ships. Itō Chūta’s sketch wryly imagines Emden not as a ship but as a crafty fugitive hiding in the jungle, peeking out from behind a tree as his frantic pursuers rush blindly past, unaware.

Notes on Sketch 70, dated October 25, 1914: Japan Misses a Major Russian Order

Itō Chūta’s satirical sketch captures a moment of lost opportunity: a major Russian arms order appears to have gone to an American firm rather than a Japanese one. In the image, a well-dressed Russian figure (露), his briefcase presumably full of cash, strides past a Japanese shop selling rifles and military goods, heading instead toward a competing establishment labeled "Amerika shop" (あ免リか屋), which offers similar wares. The Japanese shopkeeper looks anxious and disappointed, while his American counterpart appears cheerful and welcoming.

The Major Russian Order

On September 10, 1914, Russian Army Major General Eduard Karlovich Hermonius (1864–1938) arrived in Japan at the head of a commission tasked with procuring urgently needed arms and munitions for the Russian military. Greeted with great fanfare at Tokyo’s Shimbashi Station, the delegation was welcomed by thousands shouting banzai.

Although initial concerns in Japan centered on whether large-scale arms sales to Russia might compromise Japan’s own military preparedness, and speculation circulated that Russia might instead turn to the United States, a limited agreement was eventually reached. Japan agreed to supply arms and ammunition, but the types and quantities fell far short of Russia’s expectations.

On November 17, a farewell party was held in honor of the Russian delegation at the Tsukiji Seiyōken Hotel. Organized by the Russians, the event was attended by prominent figures, including the heads of Tokyo’s major newspapers, Mitsui Company president Mitsui Hachirōemon, and Baron Ōkura Kihachirō, author of this sketch's commentary.

Russia would go on to make additional arms purchases from Japan but also turned increasingly to the United States. In January 1915, it placed a major order with the Remington Arms Company for one million rifles.

References:

Eduard Baryshev, "The General Hermonius Mission to Japan (August 1914–March 1915) and the Issue of Armaments Supply in Russo-Japanese Relations during the First World War," Acta Slavica Iaponica, 30, 2011, p. 21-42.