A rare Meiji-period woodblock-printed illustrated novel, titled 離れ菊 掬鏡 (Hanaregiku Kyokkyō) — “The Chrysanthemum Apart – Reflected in a Mirror.”
Written by Bunkyōdō Shujin (文京堂主人) and illustrated by Kaga Yoshisama (加賀吉様), this emotional tale blends romance, moral conflict, and Meiji-era social themes with the elegance of Edo’s storytelling tradition.
Printed in Meiji 15 (1882) by Daisakuya Bunkei, the book features multi-color woodblock frontispieces, delicate line illustrations throughout, and elegant kuzushiji (cursive) calligraphy.
This volume is a complete edition combining three parts (初編・中編・終編) — making it a highly collectible example of Meiji popular fiction in its entirety.
Scenes depict domestic interiors, family life, and dramatic confrontations rendered with fine woodblock detail and expressive linework.
Title: 離れ菊 掬鏡 (Hanaregiku Kyokkyō)
Translation: “The Chrysanthemum Apart – Reflected in a Mirror”
Author: 文京堂主人 (Bunkyōdō Shujin)
Illustrator: 加賀吉様 (Kaga Yoshisama)
Publisher: 代作屋文京 (Daisakuya Bunkei), Tokyo
Date: 明治15年 (1882)
Volumes: Complete – 3 volumes bound as one
Technique: Woodblock printing with hand-coloring
Material: Washi paper
Binding: Fukurotoji (pouch binding)
Language: Classical Japanese
In the Meiji era, Japanese publishers continued the tradition of illustrated fiction (kusazōshi and yomihon) while introducing modern domestic and emotional realism.
Hanaregiku Kyokkyō reflects this transition — combining Edo’s poetic sensitivity with Meiji’s new fascination for urban life and moral introspection.
Its gas lamps, interiors, and modern clothing in the illustrations symbolize Japan’s modernization while retaining classic literary sentiment — a perfect artifact of the Edo-Meiji cultural bridge.
