This authentic Edo-period Japanese woodblock-printed book is titled Onna Chōhōki (女重宝記), an influential women’s instructional and moral guide, clearly identified in the original text as Volume One (一之巻).
Produced during the late Edo period, this work belongs to the tradition of women’s educational manuals (女訓書), intended to instruct women in moral conduct, household management, etiquette, and social roles within early modern Japanese society. The text is printed in classical Japanese cursive script (kuzushiji) using traditional woodblock techniques on handmade washi paper.
The volume includes woodblock illustrations depicting women, family members, and domestic scenes, offering rare visual insight into everyday life, clothing, posture, and social interaction of Edo-period women. Such illustrated manuals were widely read and passed down within households, making surviving copies valuable cultural documents.
Details
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Title: 女重宝記
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Romanization: Onna Chōhōki
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Volume: 一之巻 (Volume One)
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Period: Edo period (late 18th–early 19th century)
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Genre: Women’s moral and instructional manual (女訓書)
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Language: Classical Japanese (kuzushiji)
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Printing: Original Edo-period woodblock printing
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Illustrations: Yes – woodblock illustrations of women and daily life
Onna Chōhōki is an important example of Edo-period women’s education literature, valued by collectors and researchers for its insight into gender roles, moral philosophy, and domestic life in pre-modern Japan. Illustrated volumes, especially clearly identified first volumes, are increasingly difficult to find in complete condition.
This book is a genuine artifact of Japanese social history and woodblock publishing culture.
