Minamoto no Yorimitsu Battles the Demon Shuten-dōji

This scroll section depicts a dynamic battle scene where armored samurai engage in close-quarters combat against oni (demons). In the center, the severed, grotesque head of the demon Shuten-dōji, featuring horns and multiple eyes, lies on the ground, still appearing animate and dangerous. Samurai retainers in traditional lacquered armor and horned helmets surround the demons, wielding swords and spears. The background is a sparse, textured cream-colored paper, punctuated by the stylized green foliage of a pine tree in the upper right. The composition emphasizes fluid motion, with figures in various states of lunge and retreat across the horizontal plane.

This scene depicts the climactic battle from the 'Otogizōshi' tale of Shuten-dōji, a foundational piece of medieval Japanese folklore concerning the suppression of monstrous entities by the courtly warrior Minamoto no Yorimitsu. It illustrates the 'subjugation of the demon' motif common in Muromachi-period narratives used to reinforce the power of the imperial court and warrior class over perceived peripheral, chaotic forces.