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3. Variety of "ehon" books

Picture Collections and Ehon

68. Nara meisho yae zakura

  • 12 volumes, by Okubo Shuko and Motobayashi Iyu, printed by Kashiwaya Jin'emon (of Edo) in the 6th year of the Enpo Era (1678), 12 books, 28.0 by 18.5cm <WB1-15>

This is a guide of beauty spots in Nara that was published in Edo. The name of the illustrator is not mentioned, but it is said that the style is specific to Hishikawa Moronobu.

69. Yamatoe zukushi

  • by Hishikawa Moronobu, printed by Urokogataya Sanzaemon (of Edo), in the 8th year of the Enpo Era (1680), 1 book, 26.8 by 18.4cm <WA32-15>

This picture book printed in black ink was published to appreciate pictures painted by Hishikawa Moronobu. This book focuses on well-known scenes of Japanese classics.

70. Koshoku ichidai otoko

  • 8 volumes, by Ihara Saikaku, printed by Akitaya Ichibee (of Osaka) in the 2nd year of the Tenna Era (1682), 8 books, 26.3 by 18.7cm <WA9-3>

This is the first ukiyo-zoshi, a kind of novel in the Edo Period, written by Ihara Saikaku (1642 to 1693). It is said that Saikaku drew pictures for printing plates for the illustrations. This version was printed by a publisher in Osaka.

71. Koshoku ichidai otoko

  • 8 volumes, by Ihara Saikaku, Hishikawa Moronobu, printed by Kawasaki Shichirobee (of Edo) in the 1st year of the Jokyo Era (1684), 8 books, 23.0 by 16.5cm <WA9-10>

This version was printed by a publisher in Edo. The illustrations were painted by Hishikawa Moronobu, the most popular painter at that time, but he reproduced the Osaka version.

72. Kyogetsubo

  • by Kino Sadamaru, Kitagawa Utamaro, printed by Kosho-do (of Edo) in the 1st year of the Kansei Era (1789), 1 book, 25.7 by 19.1cm <WA32-17>

This picture book was created under the theme of the full moon: full moon pictures are accompanied by comic tanka called kyo-ka. The pictures are painted by Kitagawa Utamaro (1753 to 1806). This is a masterpiece of multicolor picture books with realizing delicate blind tooling and subtle shades.

73. Shoshunho

  • edited by Emi Nagatoshi, printed in the 6th year of the An'ei Era (1777) [as described in the afterword], 1 book, 28.3 by 17.0cm <WB1-17>

This is a illustrated book of Chinese poems created under the theme of spring landscapes in Kyoto. This book is printed by patting on wet paper placed on the concavely engraved woodblock with a cloth-covered cotton ball containing black ink.

74. Mincho shiken

  • volume I and volume II, edited by Ooka Shunboku, printed by Shibukawa Seiemon (of Osaka) and three others, in the 3rd year of the Enkyo Era (1746), 2 books, 27.0 by 18.0cm <WB1-18>

These books contain model pictures by Ooka Shunboku (1680 to 1763), a painter. For these books, he reproduced famous flower paintings in the Ming Dynasty, China. The pictures were colored by three methods: block printing, stenciling called kappazuri, and brush painting. This title was planned to be a three-volume material, but volume III was not published.

75. Mincho shiken

  • 3 volumes, edited by Ooka Shunboku, printed by Hishiya Magobee (of Kyoto) in [the 10th year of the Bunka Era (1813), 3 books, 26.0 by 18.2cm <Ushi-48>

This is another version of No. 74, which was printed by a different publisher in later period. By supplementing more one volume, this complete version consists of three volumes. Although the block printing parts are the same as No. 74, the stenciled and brush-painted parts are different.