Four double-page color woodcut illus. 12 leaves. 8vo, orig. decorated wrappers, stitched as issued. [Japan: 1830-53].

First edition, and very rare, with no copy in WorldCat, of this ephemeral and beautifully illustrated example of kyoka poetry by Hiroshige. He was frequently engaged to illustrate kyoka collections and, as a poet of considerable talent, often made contributions to the text. The two selectors of the poems printed here are Shiseido Taijin and Daihoshiko Taijin.

The decorated wrappers incorporate plum flower motifs with the character of water in the center of each. The numerous poems are all concerned with mountain or water landscapes... More

40 parts in 12 vols. 8vo, orig. brown wrappers, new stitching. [China]: Liang yi tang, 1763.

A rare edition of this anthology of early Chinese writings, collected by Yu Han (766-824), “a major figure in the history of Chinese literature, comparable in stature to Dante, Shakespeare, or Goethe in their respective literary traditions. He was among that small group of writers whose works not only became classics of the language — required reading for all those with claims to literacy in succeeding generations — but whose writings redefine and change the course of the tradition itself. Although Han Yu is best-known as a.... More

68; 68; 75; 80; 66 folding leaves. Five vols. Oblong 8vo, orig. wrappers (rather tired & rubbed), orig. block-printed title labels on upper covers, new stitching. Kyoto: Yao Ichibei, 1692.

An early bibliography of Japanese printed books; essentially a Books in Print, it was the principal guide to the subject for two centuries. “By the middle of the seventeenth century the flood of publications was so great that there was a perceived need for information and guidance, and it was provided by the booksellers’ catalogues known as shojaku mokuroku.”–Kornicki, The Book in Japan, pp. 176-77. The first printed shojaku mokuroku appeared ca. 1666 and established the standard... More

61; 74 folding leaves. Two vols. Large 8vo (268 x 190 mm.), orig. speckled wrappers (extremities somewhat worn), new stitching. Kyoto: late Edo or early Meiji.

The first two volumes (of, apparently, nine) of this invaluable — and unpublished — dictionary of herbal and medical terms by Boyo Yamamoto (1778-1859), a prominent Kyoto doctor and botanist and a direct disciple of Ono Ranzan (1729-1810), the famous professor of botany. The author of many botanical and herbal works, Yamamoto had a school — the Yamamoto Dokushoshitsu — where he taught herbal medicine. Yamamoto left a number of works in manuscript, of which this is one.

Our manuscript was clearly copied by a disciple as a work of reference. It starts with a Preface providing a biographical sketch of Yamamoto and an account of the genesis of this text. The text itself is written in Chinese with Japanese reading marks. Arranged by the number of kanji strokes, it includes very full definitions of and references to medicinal plants, minerals, and animals, along with diseases. Each defined word is provided with citations to other works of reference where the substance, medicine, or disease is fully discussed. Many of these reference works are Chinese. More

[Edited by Kensaku Nakamura]. Many illus. (mostly full-page) in the text. 35; 33; 44 folding leaves. Three vols. 8vo, orig. pale blue wrappers (wrappers & labels somewhat worn & stained), new stitching. Osaka, Edo, & Kyoto: 1865.

First edition of this very rare work on acupuncture; it is considered to be amongst the most important books on the subject of the period. Sakai (1815-78), was a medical practitioner and known as the most accomplished acupuncturist of his time. He learned acupuncture from Dr. Komori in Kyoto, who instructed his student to insert the needles at different angles from the norm. The present work was edited by Sakai’s... More

Numerous finely detailed brush & ink illus. in the text, some heightened in red ink or gray wash. 45 folding leaves. Three parts in one vol. 8vo (237 x 164 mm.), orig. patterned blue wrappers, manuscript title label on upper cover, new stitching. On final page (in trans.): “Copied in Kyoto in 1813.”

This richly illustrated manuscript is part of the Chinese tradition of skin-deep orthopedic therapies associated with waike, literally “external therapies.” Texts like ours therefore required numerous instructive illustrations of the structure of the skeleton, therapeutic methods, bone-setting, and orthopedic instruments.

There are several other surviving manuscript copies of this anonymous text (the one at Tokyo University Library is incomplete; there is another in the collection of the Naito Museum of Pharmaceutical Science and Industry in Gifu Prefecture). The author describes methods of deep massage and manipulations. He describes and names all 332 bones of the body, starting with the skull and ending with the feet. There are two magnificent views of the human skeleton — front and back. The author offers a number of case histories where he employed manipulations and/or deep massage therapies. More

16 fine full-page brush & ink illus. 24 folding leaves. 8vo (243 x 169 mm.), orig. wrappers, new stitching. [Japan]: late Edo.

A fascinating manuscript. Murai (1733-1815), was a member of one of the leading Japanese families specializing in surgery. A renowned Chinese lute player, he was physician to the Kumamoto fiefdom. Murai studied under Todo Yoshimasu (1702-73), one of the most innovative practitioners of his time. Both Yoshimasu and Murai were leaders in the development of Japanese “Kampo,” the study and transformation of traditional Chinese medicine in Japan, which began in the 7th century and slowly modified itself into its own unique system of... More

Forty parts in 12 vols. 8vo, orig. wrappers, new stitching. At the beginning of each part: Cixi: Prefaces dates 1776 & 1788.

A valuable and influential dictionary of synonyms and antonyms in the Chinese language. Li, a native of Cixi, served as a magistrate in Wangjiang County. Originally published in 39 parts, this edition has the valuable supplement — the 40th part — by Huai Guan, painter and librarian, who lived in Hangzhou, near Cixi.

This is an encyclopedic work, encompassing synonyms and antonyms in all disciplines, including science, politics, history, gastronomy, costumes, technology, books and bibliography, transportation, weaving, military history, agriculture, antiquities, music, religious texts, pharmacology... More

Trans. by Gentaku & Genkan Otsuki (or Ootsuki). Numerous fine woodcut illus. in the text. 26; 40; 32 folding leaves. Three vols. 8vo, orig. wrappers, orig. block-printed title labels on upper covers (one gone & one defective). Edo & Kyoto: Suharaya ihachi et al., 1824.

First edition in Japanese; this is a very rare book with no copy outside of Japan. As Mestler writes: “The situation with regard to the ‘Yoi shinsho’ is all but hopelessly mixed up” (p. 213 in his A Galaxy of Old Japanese Medical Books, V). He goes on to somewhat clear things up, and we shall try to make things even clearer... More

Scroll (300 x 5690 mm.) on paper with eight illus. using brush & various colors of wash. [Japan]: at the end, the year 1606 is written, the name of the person who gave this information: “Sato Tarobei Munenobu,” and the name of the recipient: “Tani Sataro.”

This early scroll, dated 1606, contains eight images and is clearly derived from Chinese medicine, which employed acupuncture and herbal medicines. The first image depicts the five organs and the triple burner, with different colors for each organ, and their related parts of the body. The following image shows a horse and its chief meridians, with accompanying text... More

47 folding leaves. 8vo (275 x 200 mm.), orig. wrappers (upper wrapper partially defective & renewed), new stitching. Arita: 1866 [from the zodiac signs].

This wonderful and beautiful pattern book seems to have been prepared by the Arita Seito Company, whose name is written on the upper wrapper. We can find nothing about this manufacturer, but it was clearly involved in producing Shonzui porcelains of the greatest complexity and beauty. This pattern book contains hundreds, if not thousands, of patterns for porcelains made in the region surrounding the town of Arita in northwestern Kyushu. One of the most important porcelain styles of Arita was copies... More

40 samples (nine might be missing, but see below) of decorated leathers of various animals, with annotations. Seven folding leaves. Oblong 8vo (128 x 224 mm.), orig. wrappers (many leaves somewhat wormed but not touching any of the swatches), stitched. [Japan]: late Edo.

Japan has always had a rich tradition of decorative leather work, employing the skins of deer, cows, monkeys, and horses. The leather products were used in trimming on military costumes, decorative clothing, and accessories (arrow quivers, gloves, shoes, saddles, jackets, religious decorations for temples, etc.).

The swatches in this manuscript are categorized by technique and complexity and include stencilled leathers... More