An original Meiji 9 (1876) woodblock-printed historical book from the monumental series Meiji Taiheiki (明治太平記), written by Murai Gensai (村井弦齋) and illustrated by Sensai Eitaku (鮮齋永濯) — two of Japan’s most influential early modern creators.
This Volume 7, Part 2 (下編) was published by Enjudō (延壽堂) in Tokyo under official license (“官許”) and continues the account of the Saga Rebellion (佐賀の乱) — an early conflict in the Meiji Restoration where discontented samurai rose against Japan’s new imperial government.
Through sharp prose and vivid illustration, Murai and Eitaku present a gripping record of courage, loyalty, and loss at the dawn of modern Japan. The double-page woodblock illustration portrays samurai and soldiers crossing a river by boat, a moment of tense escape that visually concludes this part of the chronicle.
Printed in vertical woodblock type on handmade washi, bound in fukurotoji (stab-binding) style with its original green embossed cover. The printing quality is clear and refined, characteristic of Enjudō’s early Meiji production.
This volume marks the conclusion of the Seventh Chronicle (第七編), completing one of the most dramatic arcs in the series — the transition from rebellion to national reform. Copies from the early Meiji era with intact pages and illustrations are increasingly scarce and prized by collectors of samurai history, Meiji-era woodblock books, and early Japanese journalism.
