An exceptional Meiji-period woodblock-printed novel titled 倉橋冬児立圃鶴 (Kurahashi Tōji Ritsuhō-zuru) — “The Tale of Winter Crane by Kurahashi Tōji.”
Written by Kurahashi Tōji (倉橋冬児) and illustrated by Seirentei Bunjū (青蓮亭文重), this work blends romantic drama, moral introspection, and poetic realism, all hallmarks of the yomihon genre of late Edo–Meiji fiction.
Published in Meiji 15 (1882) by Kagakichi (Tokyo), the book features a hand-colored frontispiece, black-and-white woodblock illustrations throughout, and refined kuzushiji (cursive) Japanese calligraphy.
This example is complete in three bound volumes (初編・中編・終編) — preserving the entire serialized story in one continuous tome.
The narrative intertwines scenes of urban life, women’s virtue, and moral testing, rendered in elegant brush linework typical of transitional Edo–Meiji book art.
Title: 倉橋冬児立圃鶴 (Kurahashi Tōji Ritsuhō-zuru)
Translation: “The Tale of Winter Crane by Kurahashi Tōji”
Author: 倉橋冬児 (Kurahashi Tōji)
Illustrator: 青蓮亭文重 (Seirentei Bunjū)
Publisher: 加賀吉 (Kagakichi), Tokyo
Date: 明治15年 (1882)
Volumes: Complete – 3 volumes in 1
Technique: Woodblock printing with hand-applied color
Material: Washi paper
Binding: Fukurotoji (pouch binding)
Language: Classical Japanese
The Meiji 15 (1882) publication of Kurahashi Tōji Ritsuhō-zuru reflects Japan’s literary modernization: Edo’s melodramatic storytelling combined with Meiji’s emerging realism.
Illustrator Seirentei Bunjū, trained in the ukiyo-e lineage, integrates both traditional narrative composition and Western-influenced spatial perspective.
The result is a visually rich example of popular Meiji fiction, bridging ukiyo-e book design and modern literature.
These illustrated novels (kusazōshi → yomihon) were the precursors to modern manga — making them historically important and highly collectible today.
