Fuse Monogatari 布施譚 (Tales of Generosity)
By Shōrin Haku’en (松林伯園) – Illustrated by Umeguni Masashige (梅国政重)
Three Volumes Combined in One – Edo–Meiji Period (c. 1860s–1870s)
This remarkable Edo–Meiji transition illustrated book blends humor, morality, and daily life through expressive woodblock-printed illustrations and vivid storytelling. Written by Shōrin Haku’en, a well-known gesaku author of the late Edo period, Fuse Monogatari (“Tales of Generosity”) reflects the playful, didactic spirit of popular Japanese literature on the eve of modernization.
The book is bound as three volumes in one (三編合本 / sanpen gōhon) and features color-printed covers and pages depicting charming domestic and travel scenes, maritime imagery, and comical characters. The imagery alternates between vibrant polychrome woodblock prints and finely detailed black-and-white pages, with graceful calligraphy and poetic inserts.
The narrative humorously explores moral themes of kindness, honesty, and generosity—core virtues of Edo society—expressed through encounters between merchants, samurai, and townspeople.
Title: 布施譚 (Fuse Monogatari / Tales of Generosity)
Author: 松林伯園 (Shōrin Haku’en)
Illustrator: 梅国政重 (Umeguni Masashige)
Publisher: 亜政堂 (Aseidō)
Date: Late Edo to early Meiji (c. 1860s–1870s)
Technique: Woodblock printing with partial hand coloring
Binding: Fukuro-toji (pouch binding)
Paper: Handmade washi paper
Content: Three volumes bound together, richly illustrated with humorous and moral tales
A delightful and rare example of transitional Edo–Meiji literature, Fuse Monogatari embodies the charm of popular storytelling at a time of great social change. Combining wit, visual artistry, and traditional values, it is a significant artifact for collectors of Japanese illustrated books, ukiyo-e woodblock printing, and Edo-period culture.
