Item ID: 11467 Isekō gishiki 伊勢講儀式 [Lottery for Visits to Ise Shrine]; alternative title: Isekō narbini sangū no gishiki 伊勢講并参宮儀式 [Lottery for Visits to Ise Shrine and Visitor Guide for Travel to the Shrine & Etiquette While There]. Hanbei 吉田半兵衛 YOSHIDA, author, artist.

YOSHIDA, Hanbei 吉田半兵衛, author & artist.

Isekō gishiki 伊勢講儀式 [Lottery for Visits to Ise Shrine]; alternative title: Isekō narbini sangū no gishiki 伊勢講并参宮儀式 [Lottery for Visits to Ise Shrine and Visitor Guide for Travel to the Shrine & Etiquette While There].

Seven full-page & 12 double-page woodcut illus. 20; 15; 17; 17; 16 folding leaves. Five vols. 8vo, orig. semi-stiff wrappers, remains of title-slips, new stitching. Kyoto: Yamaoka Ichibei 山岡市兵衛 et al., 1686.

First edition and very rare; no copy in WorldCat. Yoshida Hanbei was the most important and prolific book illustrator in Kyoto and Osaka in the late 17th century, rivalled only by Hishikawa Moronobu in Edo. Yoshida created images for at least 90 illustrated works, including many of the Ukiyo-zōshi novels (“books of the floating world,” often portraying the amorous tribulations of men and women) by Saikaku. Hillier considers the books illustrated by Hanbei published in 1681-88 to be his best (p. 101).

The Ise shrine in today’s Mie Prefecture was the most popular destination for pilgrimages during the Edo period, receiving hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The kō 講 lottery system, developed in the early 17th century, was a mutual-aid pilgrimage association in villages and urban areas. Members would pool money, and when there was enough, held the lottery to select those who could make the quite expensive pilgrimage to the Ise Grand Shrine. This allowed even modest households to participate. The lottery was random, and winners were barred from participating again until everyone in the association had made the pilgrimage. The pilgrims acted as representatives for their associations and were expected to bring back amulets, talismans, and souvenirs. In spite of the strict travel regulations of the Tokugawa government, travel for the Ise pilgrimage was granted a broad exemption.

Our work is divided into two sections. The first volume is devoted to the lottery system and methods of running a fair lottery. The remaining volumes describe the trip, with tips on travel, post towns, pilgrimage etiquette, and instructions on how to correctly participate in rituals at the shrine. There is a list of sins that could be cleansed at the shrine, days to receive acupuncture, etc. Each volume begins with a detailed table of contents.

The images show pilgrims en route by foot and boat, shrines on the way, restaurants and confectionary stores, rituals performed at the shrine complex, and ceremonial meals taken at the shrine.

Nice set; minor, mostly marginal worming, largely repaired. Preserved in a chitsu.

❧ Hillier, The Art of the Japanese Book, pp. 100-09.