First Panel - Kuniyoshi 1826 (Higuchi Kanemitsu Slaying Giant Ape)
1st image: Kuniyoshi 1826-1827 - Higuchi no Jiro Kanemitsu Subjugating a Giant Monkey in the Kiso Mountains
2nd image: Yoshitsuya 1858 - Monster Ape In the Kiso Mountains
3rd image: Yoshikazu 1853 - Shinten-o Vanquishes a White Monkey on Kiso Mountain
I was mostly intrigued by the first ukiyo-e after buying a book on masterpieces centred around heroes. I've found a few pieces centred around heroes from The Tale of the Heike hunting a giant monkey in the Kiso mountains, but I haven't been able to find the story behind them.
From what I've found, Kuniyoshi created the first depiction of the hunt, and other artists followed from there. However, I haven't seen a story anything like what it depicts, but all of the art is created after the story of Iwami Jutaro took off so I wonder if it's just a mash up of that and The Tale of the Heike.
Does anyone know anything more about these pieces, or anything about the story behind them?