index
Part 1: Early modern times
Chapter 2: Regarding literary works 3. That author behind that book
Many books are widely known by their titles, even though little is known about their authors. Here, we introduce manuscripts handwritten by the authors of famous books that many people simply refer to as "that book." What kind of a person is "the author behind that book?" What did their handwriting look like? Through these handwritten manuscripts, we invite readers to encounter the authors themselves more closely.
SAITO Gesshin, 1804-1878
Gesshin was a historian, writer, and scholar of Japanese classics. He was born into an eminent family that had served for generations as the headmen of the Kanda Kijicho neighborhood in Edo. His education was on Japanese classics, Chinese studies, and painting. He was also active as a cultural figure. While serving as a local official, he completed his magnum opus Edo meisho zue (lit. Illustrations of Famous Places in Edo) that his father and grandfather had been working on. He has also left behind many valuable works, such as Toto saijiki, Buko nenpyo (lit. A Chronological Record in Edo), and Seikyoku Ruisan.
24 Seikyoku Ruisan Kohon, [Late Edo Period-Early Meiji Era] [WA19-18]
Seikyoku Ruisan is a historical compendium of shamisen music with a focus on joruri (a form of narrative music). The work may be regarded, in effect, as an encyclopedia of Edo-period music. The manuscript shown here is a handwritten compilation by Gesshin; the book is a compilation of three types of documents: soko (rough draft), saiko (revised draft), and tebikae (personal notes), of which the rough and revised drafts are fragmentary. Because almost all the corrections Gesshin made in the saiko (revised draft) were incorporated into the expanded edition of the Seikyoku ruisan after his death, Gesshin is thought to have been involved in the publication of this expanded edition. In addition, illustrative sketches, excerpts from source material, and records of oral accounts from acquaintances are left on the various types of paper comprising the tebikae (personal notes), thus painting a picture of the breadth of Gesshin's search for information.
24 Related Material: Edo Meisho Zue, 1834-1836 [124-114]
An illustrated atlas introducing famous places in Edo and its environs; seven volumes in 20 books. The work was compiled and proofread over three generations by Yukio, Yukitaka, and Yukinari (Gesshin) and published in 1834-1836. The illustrations are by Hasegawa Settan. Based on field investigations, this work traces the historical development of Edo and describes the contemporary state of its shrines and temples, famous places, and historical ruins. This work is highly valued as a historical resource alongside Settan's intricate illustrations. The National Diet Library also holds a manuscript of Yukitaka's field survey records, entitled Koyumanroku.
KITAGAWA Morisada, 1810-?
Morisada was a historian of folk culture. Born in Osaka under the family name Ishihara, he relocated to Edo in 1840. In his historical work Morisada manko, he documented the folk culture and everyday practices of the local populace in Edo—comparing them with those in the Kamigata region (present-day Kyoto and Osaka)—together with illustrations. Apart from the gairyaku (outline) that he wrote and the few brief mentions of himself in the book, almost nothing else is known about Morisada.
25 Morisada Manko, [Late Edo Period] [寄別13-40]
Detailed records of the many facets of folk customs in Edo are found in this work. This book survived only as a draft; it was not published during the Edo period but in 1908 as Ruiju kinsei fuzokushi. The National Diet Library holds three sets of manuscripts that were handwritten by Morisada, including the one shown here. The most complete set consists of 29 books, with some volumes bound together into single books; these are composed of a first collection with 30 volumes (Volumes 2 and 17 missing) and a second collection with four volumes. The other two sets are those shown here (formerly owned by the Oguri family, 3 books in total) and one formerly owned by Kano Kokichi (1 book). These two sets are thought to be written prior to the 29-book set mentioned earlier. These two sets contain parts with sparser descriptions and a different ordering of chapters compared with the 29-book set. Some pages in the text are written on the back sides of incompletely written drafts, thereby allowing us to catch a glimpse of the writing process.