He-gassen
He-gassen, or, designates a humorous theme in a Japanese art scrolls, created during the Edo period and earlier by various artists, often preferring to remain anonymous, depicting flatulence humor.
He-gassen, as a subject occasionally depicted in Japanese art, is first attested at the end of the Heian Period. Toba Sōjō, in addition to his famous Scrolls of Frolicking Animals, is also mentioned as having painted scrolls on themes such as "Phallic Contest" and "He-gassen".
Notable examples
Kachie Emaki, anonymous, Mitsui Memorial Museum.Hōhi Gassen Emaki Suntory [Museum of Art].Hōhi Gassen Zu The Museum of Art, Kōchi.Hōhi Gassen Emaki by Kawanabe Kyōsai, Kawanabe Kyosai Memorial Museum. Separately, a parody by Kyōsai from 1876, bearing the title Fart Contest as Japan Adopts Western Culture Illustrated Scroll, is in a private collection. Onara Gassen by Ogawa Usen, Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art.Waseda University scroll
One scroll in the possession of the Waseda University Library has been digitized. The Waseda University scroll ends on the far left with a colophon, stating that this is a 1846 work by a 69 year old Fukuyama painter called Airan 2=福山 画師 六十九歳 相覧, being a copy of a 1680 original painted by Hishikawa Moronobu. The artist is possibly Murakata Airan.The scroll begins at the far right, with a scene of men of various ranks spreading news of a fart contest, scenes of men passing along the news and carrying baskets of taro, and a cooking scene where the food is being prepared and eaten.