MUSHROOMS, HONEY, & SWEET POTATOES.

Manuscript on paper, entitled “Gozui hen” [“Shiitake Mushroom Cultivation”] by Shigehiro (or Churyo) Sato (pen name: Onkosai).

Four brush & black ink drawings in the text. 21 folding leaves. 8vo (237 x 165 mm.), orig. decorated semi-stiff wrappers, manuscript title on label on upper cover, new stitching. [Japan]: on final leaf (in trans.): “Copied May 1814 by Toba.”

An attractive manuscript copy of the first Japanese text on shiitake cultivation, written in 1796; it has remained unpublished. The beginning of our manuscript is entitled “Kyoshin roku” [“Amazing Shiitake Mushroom Knowledge”]. This is followed by “Onkosai mitsuki” [“Sato’s Tips on Honey Production”] and “Satsuma imo kono sho narabini tsukuri yo no den” [“On the Health Benefits & Cultivation of Sweet Potatoes”].

The illustrations depict how to dry the mushrooms, along with a wooden beehive box and a sharp utensil to scrape the honey.

Sato (1762-1848), was a leading honzo scholar and writer on agricultural matters. He advised a number of fiefdoms throughout Japan on modern agricultural techniques.

Fine copy. A bit of worming on outer lower corner of first few leaves, not touching text.

Price: $2,500.00

Item ID: 9190