An original Meiji-era woodblock-printed edition of 『日本外史』(Nihon Gaishi), “Unofficial History of Japan,” authored by Rai San’yō (頼山陽, 1780–1832) — one of Japan’s most celebrated Confucian historians and poets.
Written in classical Chinese (kanbun) and completed in 1827, Nihon Gaishi recounts the rise and fall of Japanese rulers from the Taira and Minamoto clans through the Muromachi and Sengoku periods, culminating in the establishment of Tokugawa rule.
This particular volume, 巻之七 (Volume Seven), focuses on the Edo-period feudal lords and political realignments, combining moral reflection with literary elegance.
Printed using traditional woodblock techniques on washi paper and bound in stitched fukurotoji (pouch-binding) with the original paper title slip, this edition exemplifies the Meiji educational revival of classical Japanese scholarship.
Rai San’yō’s work profoundly shaped the intellectual climate of the Meiji Restoration, inspiring generations of reformers and historians. His writing remains a masterpiece of Japanese Neo-Confucian historiography, valued both for its literary grace and national historical insight.
A significant work in Japan’s intellectual history, Nihon Gaishi bridges the Edo world’s scholarship with Meiji modernity. This authentic Meiji woodblock edition — Volume 7 — is a fine example of Japan’s classical historiography and craftsmanship, ideal for collectors of Japanese literature, Confucian philosophy, or early modern history.
