Tōkyō ryūkō saiken-ki (A detailed guide to Tokyo trends)

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[Tōkyō ryūkō saiken-ki ("A detailed guide to Tokyo trends")]

Tōtō, Sanjin [preface by]; Noboritei, Isshin [selections by]; Shimizu, Ichijirō [edited by].

Tōkyō: Shimizu Ichijirō, Meiji 18 [1885].

An adaptation, occasionally humorous, of the famed Yoshiwara Saiken guide, featuring the names of popular manufacturers, stores, craftspeople, and entertainers where those of pleasure houses and courtesans would typically be listed. Yoshiwara Saiken, guides to Tokyo's pleasure quarters, were printed from the late 17th century onwards and were particularly popular with tourists visiting the Eastern capital. Saiken directories also acted as maps, depicting pleasure houses on both sides of the main street, and came to be published annually to reflect the turnover of pleasure houses and courtesans. Establishments were recognisable by their crests, printed in the upper right-hand corner of each listing. The names of each business's courtesans followed to the left, with high-ranking performers at the top of the list and low-ranking workers (kamuro, geisha, and yarite) at the bottom. In this adaptation, the rankings of Yoshiwara establishments have been replaced with rankings of manufacturers, entertainers, and craftspeople. Each speciality is discernable from the crest and first name of each section. The imaginary name "Minoya Hanshirō" (美濃屋半四郎), for example, appears under a crest depicting a bundle of paper. "Mino" is a famous type of paper and "Hanshi" refers to a particular paper size. This reveals to the reader the speciality - paper - of the manufacturers listed to the left. Similarly, the section which lists movable-type printers is headed with the fictional name "Surimonoya Katsujirō" (摺物屋活字郎). Among the specialities listed in the guide are books, inks, cameras, clocks, cutlery, clothes, beef, sake, sweets, umbrellas, cameras, medicine, bread, vegetables, shoes, onsen, lamps, false teeth, pottery, instruments, wool, candles, wheels, tatami, tobacco, oil paints, glasses, and so on and so forth. Among the professions listed are authors (featuring Ryūtei Tanehiko, Kanagaki Robun, Mantei Ōga, and others), jihon doiya (including Tsutaya Kichizō), ukiyo-e artists (Yoshitoshi, Eitaku, Hiroshige, and others leading the pack) actors, scholars, barbers, and seal cutters. Manufacturers of Western goods are prominent, reflecting the rising popularity of imported products in the wake of Japan's entry into global trade circles. Specific types of products (as opposed to the names of manufacturers or stores (i.e. chiyogami under jihon doiya)) and notes (about prices, performance times, etc.) are generally listed below, under the lowerranked kamuro, geisha, and yarite positions. A scarce adaptation of one of the most famed Edo period guidebooks, offering a wealth of detail about the popularity of products and the prominence of certain manufacturers, actors, authors, publishers, and others in mid-Meiji era Tokyo.

One volume, complete, on double leaves, fukurotoji style. Re-bound in orange wrappers, mounted daisen panel in manuscript. Two small ex-ownership stamps to preface margin, short ink note to margin of upper pastedown. Small sticker removals to lower pastedown. Very minor foxing. 4, 37 leaves. 17 x 11.6 cm.

Tōkyō ryūkō saiken-ki (A detailed guide to Tokyo trends)
Price: $2,895.00 (USD)