Paper short abstract:

In pre-Meiji Japan, the physical format of books was selected according to their content. In my presentation I will focus on thirteenth- and fourteenth-century manuscripts and fragments (kohitsugire), exploring the relationship between the genre and book format in monogatari literature.

Paper long abstract:

In pre-Meiji Japan, the content and reasons underlying the production of books were often key factors which guided the selection of their physical aspect. Traditional Japanese book formats—kansubon, orihon, detchoso, tetchōso, fukurotoji—were in fact used differently depending on the literary work contained therein. As a rule of thumb, there are differences between poetry and prose texts, and even within prose we can recognise that an array of book formats were used according to different genres of monogatari. By looking at book formats vis-à-vis their content, it is possible to study how different genres were divided and understood at the moment of the production of the book.

In my presentation I will focus on thirteenth- and fourteenth-century manuscripts and fragments (kohitsugire) which were characterized by an evident relationship between physical format and content: uta-monogatari (e.g. Ise monogatari and Yamato monogatari), tsukuri-monogatari (e.g. Genji monogatari or Sagoromo), and rekishi-monogatari (e.g. Ōkagami and Eiga monogatari). First I am going to present an overview of various book formats, explaining which genre they were typically used in connections with. Then, I will consider some notable exceptions, explaining their significance and the reasons for which they were treated differently. In this way, I plan to demonstrate the usefulness of a research approach based on the study of book formats.

Paper short abstract:

During the 17th century there is a small group of manuscripts that bear the text and illustrations of noh pieces. They do not contain producers' or ownership marks and are hardly studied. This paper sheds light on their context mainly by examining their material evidence.

Paper long abstract:

The 17th century, the first century of the Early Modern era of Japan, holds many changes in book production and reception. Regarding production formats and styles change, techniques shift and mass production begins. As to reception the use of books is not limited to the privileged aristocracy anymore.

During this time of transition between books for the aristrocracy and popularization of books in the Edo period, there is a comparatively small group of manuscripts that bear the text and illustrations of noh pieces. They are usually grouped with so-called Nara ehon. Since they do not contain colophones or other producers' or ownership marks, they are hardly studied. Examining their material evidence however, may shed light on their context. Based on this research they can be dated in two groups: early (late 16th to about Kan'ei era) and late (Kan'ei era to Kyōhō era).

Following formats, bindings, layout and painting styles the purpose of this study is to trace the development of illustrated manuscripts in the 17th century by taking the noh manuscripts as examples. Especially looking at emaki, picture scrolls, of the early and late groups the evolution becomes clear: trying to blend out the contents, the appearance of the scrolls suggests that they became more and more an object of representation, rather than an object for reading. This becomes visible primarily in four points: size, binding, use of gold and the formalization of painting style. I argue that these changes, which cannot only be observed in emaki, but also in bound books, reflect a different readership and a different way to handle books in the latter half of the century.

Paper short abstract:

In my paper I shall look at Japanese woodblock printed books, attempting to describe how Edo period publishers, authors and illustrators resorted to the stylistic freedom offered by woodblock-printing technology in their works.

Paper long abstract:

In contrast to publications printed with movable type, woodblock printed books produced in the Edo period preserve several common features with the Japanese manuscript tradition. Thanks to woodblock printing technology there were no limitations imposed by typesetting, and it was very easy to render various scripts using many calligraphic styles, arrange texts into complex layouts and designs, use allographs or unusual characters to convey subtle nuances of meaning. At the same time, the versatility offered by woodblock printing played an important role in fostering the production of new editorial products, characterized by innovative designs, compiled with elegant calligraphy, and embellished with various graphic elements.

The analysis of formal and stylistic aspects of the printed page (layout, pagination, calligraphic styles, orthography, etc.) is of paramount importance to understand the impact that woodblock printing had on the Edo period book production. The significance of such analysis is not limited to the study of Japanese bibliography per se, but it highlights under-researched aspects of Japanese publishing and book history.

In my paper I shall look at selection of Japanese woodblock printed books —popular fiction, poetry and manuals— examining their layout and use of calligraphic styles. On the one hand, I will attempt to describe how Edo period publishers, authors and illustrators responded to the stylistic freedom offered by woodblock-printing technology in their works. On the other hand, I shall look at how the development of certain kinds of Japanese early modern literature might have been fostered by the use of woodblock printing instead of movable type printing.