Discover an authentic Edo-period travel and landscape guide with this beautifully illustrated volume of 《都林泉名勝圖會》 (Tosurisen Meishō Zue) — a classic “famous places picture book” featuring temples, gardens, waterfalls, mountain paths, and legendary sites.
These books were predecessors to modern travel guides and were used by pilgrims, merchants, and scholars to learn about scenic destinations throughout Japan. Printed entirely by woodblock, each page reveals refined landscapes, temple architecture, and scenes of travelers and monks, capturing the elegant visual culture of the Edo era.
This edition contains multiple full-page illustrations, including mountain temples, monks on pilgrimage routes, bell-casting scenes, historic shrines, and panoramic landscapes. Text sections provide historical notes, place names, and descriptions of each famous site.
Volumes like this are now increasingly rare, especially with strong impressions and complete illustrations.
Historical Significance
- Part of the Edo-period tradition of meishō zue (名所図会) — illustrated guides to famous places
- Used by early travelers and pilgrims
- Combines artistic woodblock landscapes with historical commentary
- Provides valuable insight into Edo travel culture, architecture, and regional geography
What the Book Contains
- Full-page illustrated landscapes
- Temples, shrines, river valleys, waterfalls, countryside scenes
- Pilgrims, monks, craftsmen, villagers
- Descriptions of each scenic and historical location
- Traditional printed Japanese text with handwritten marginal notes
Rarity & Collectibility
- Edo-period woodblock edition
- Highly desirable genre (meishō zue)
- Popular with collectors of ukiyo-e, travel history, Japanese landscape art
- Surviving copies with multiple clean illustrations are rare and valuable
Item Details
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Title: 都林泉名勝圖會 (Tosurisen Meishō Zue)
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Genre: Illustrated famous-places guide / travel geography
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Period: Edo era (mid–late 1800s)
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Printing: Woodblock text & images
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Content: Scenic sites, temples, landscapes, historical notes
A perfect piece for collectors of Japanese antique books, ukiyo-e landscapes, and Edo travel culture.
