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Can you help me translate the title?
What does the mon on top stand for?
Where Is Tokugawa Yoshinobu in the scene?

The title is the shop-curtain (Noren) of a candle-shop.

First of all, the inscription on the shop-curtain itself is ambiguous.
徳用奥羽屋　- Tokuyō Ōuya -　Ōuya Shop of Economic Packaging -, but the second character of 徳用 -Tokuyō - is written with very thin and short horizontal lines, so it also can be read 徳川　- Tokugawa - 徳川奥羽屋　Tokugawa Ōuya Shop

Ōu 奥羽　or 奥州　Ōshū refers of the former provinces of Mutsu and Dewa, which corresponds to present-day Tohoku region.
According to one of the explanations I found on the net;
"The center of the former shogunate side is Aizu, and candles are a specialty of Aizu. The head of this store is also called Aizu. The candles were made by the Ōshu clans, and the prices are exchanged at the storefronts by the representants of Chōshū, but negotiations do not go well. It seems to represent the protracted battle between the new government and the old shogunate"

The patterns and inscriptions on their kimonos can be used to identify the following persons.

Man in the center with abacus in his hands is the owner of the shop, on his kimono アイツ　Aizu is written.
Man in the center sitting is the representant of the new government, on his kimono モウリ　Mori is written.
Man between two ladies wearing a torii pattern kimono bowing to Mori supposed to be the head of the Sendai Domain
Three men on the right are the representants of the
Satsuma-Chōshū Alliance.
1st, Satsuma - on his kimono サ Sa is written
2nd, Tosa -
3rd. Ogaki　 - his kimono is adorned with a big persimmon (ō-gaki)

Unfortunately, Yoshinobu is not pictured.

With regards,
I.Nagy

thanks a lot

Many thanks!

The mon in question, if I understand what you are referring to, is a pair of crossed candlesticks advertising the business depicted: a candle store. M. William Steele, in the reference cited below, suggests those candles stand for Aizu.


The MFA gives the title as 徳用奥羽屋, Tokuyô [=Tokugawa] Dewa-ya, The Official (Tokugawa) Dewa Province Store. https://collections.mfa.org/objects/476052

M. William Steele in his very useful exhibition catalog “Poking Fun at the Restoration: Satirical Prints in Late 19th Century Japan” (2012) transcribes the title as: 徳用蝋燭奥羽屋慶応 and translates it as The Ōu Specialty [Tokugawa] Candle Shop. P. 37.

Dr. Steele describes the prints follows: “The action depicted in many satirical prints took place in shops, as buyers and sellers negotiated the price of goods. This print informs its viewers of preparations for war in the northeastern part of Japan. The Ou Candle Shop is known for its specialty candles. The word for "specialty" (tokuyo 徳用) is deliberately conflated with Tokugawa 徳川, indicating the shop's political allegiance. The shop's master, Aizu [with the abacus], leads a group of workers from Nanbu, Nihonmatsu, Akita, and other northeastern domains. The print was probably issued shortly after the formation of the League of Northeastern Domains in the fifth month of 1868. Eventually, some 31 domains joined the league and fought against the new government.”

I do not think that Tokugawa Yoshinobu is specifically illustrated in the design directly or indirectly. He is usually symbolized in this type of prints with clothing in a brick or ladder pattern.

Hope this helps.

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