Artist – Adachi GINKŌ (安達 吟光) (active 1870-1900), was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist. He studied with the Western-style painter Goseda Horyu I (1827-1892) and he is identified with the Utagawa school.  During the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) he worked as a war correspondent and illustrator. Besides war prints he produced scenes of current events, depictions of the Boshin rebellion of 1870, actor portraits and theater scenes.

In 1889 GINKŌ was jailed along with his editor, Miyatake Gaikotsu, for depicting the emperor as a skeleton accepting the new constitution in the Diet (Japanese Parliament). The cartoon lampooned the emperor, the new representative government and the promulgation of the constitution ceremony held on February 11, 1889 and GINKŌ was sentenced to a year in prison and a fine of fifty yen. As pointed out, poking fun at the emperor was a risky move for an artist who worked off commissions (Skeleton Receiving the Constitution, from Tonchi kyokai zasshi (The Journal of the Association of Practical Knowledge), February 28, 1889).

In 1898 he illustrated the "Hayanawa Kappo Kenpo Kyojan Zukai, Zen" ("Complete Illustrated Book of the Teaching Method of Tying (Hayanawa)", "The Striking Methods of Jujutsu" (Kenpo) and the "Method of Resuscitation" (Kappo). GINKŌ had been co-working with Torii KIYOSADA 鳥居 清貞 (1844-1901) at several occasions, but even those woodblock prints all have been signed with GINKŌ's ga-name.


Personal life - Little is known about the life of Adachi GINKŌ. He was born under the real name of Adachi Heishichi 安達平七, and was active from 1870 - 1900.


Aliases - In addition to the name Adachi GINKŌ, he used the gō (artist names) Ôju Ginkô 応需吟光, Sasaki Toyokichi 笹木豊吉, Shinshō GINKŌ 真匠銀光, Shōsai GINKŌ 松斎考吟, Shōunsai GINKŌ 松雲斎銀光,  Sasaki Toyokichi, and Ogura Magobei 小倉孫兵江衛.


Disciples - none known