Japan's first professional writer
KYOKUTEI Bakin
1767-1848
Name
Actual name: Takizawa Okikuni, later changed to Toku, he then retired as Komin
Childhood names: Kurazo and Sashichiro
Common names: Sakichi and Seiemon
Pen names: Chosakudoshujin and Saritsugyoin among others
Occupation
Novelist
Biographical Sketch
He was born the fifth son of the steward to a shogunal vassal at Fukagawa in Edo (old Tokyo). In 1790, he became a pupil of Santou Kyoden and published the first yellow-back books (dime novels), then he turned to more serious fare.
By the time he died at the age of 82, he had authored more than 470 books in genres such as novels, yellow-back books. Famous among them is "Nanso Satomi Hakkenden" (novel) which was consisted of nine series, 106 volumes and published over a period of 28 years.
Ex-libris Ownership Stamp
Thirteen stamps such as "曲亭文庫" (kyokutei bunko) and "著作堂図書記" (chosakudo toshoki) are known to exist.
Reading and the size of the ex-libris ownership stamp
瀧澤(takizawa): 17x12mm
曲亭蔵本(kyokuteizohon): 26x9mm
瀧澤文庫(takizawa bunko): 37x11mm
Collection
Spanning more than fifty years of collecting, his library held somewhere between five and six thousand volumes. His collection covered such fields as the history of Japan and China, Chinese philosophy, novels, legends, poetry, storybooks, and fables as well as books in medicine, Buddhist scriptures, and fortune telling.
From about 1839, he began selling his collection. His books were passed along to his lifelong friends, Kimura Mokuro, chief retainer of the Takamatsu clan, and the wealthy Tonomura Shosai of Ise, Matsuzaka, and the prosperous merchant Ozu Keiso. Many of the volumes from the collection that were sold to Ozu Keiso are now in Tenri Central Library, and the part of the collection received by Kimura Mokuro is held at the Matsudaira Koekikai in Kagawa.
The National Diet Library holds such manuscripts by Bakin as volumes 1 to 6 of the ninth series of "Nanso Satomi Hakkenden", "Kagami Ike Ukinano Utsushie", and "Nochi no Tame no Ki" with Bakin's collations and handwritten comments. The library also holds 40 letters written by Bakin to Tonomura Shosai and Ozu Keiso.
Manuscript and Published Book of "Nanso Satomi Hakkenden"
It is said that Bakin argued with a publisher over differences between his manuscript and the publication.
Portrait
Kyokutei Bakin, Tenri toshokan, 1967. [913.56-Ta624T2k]
