This is an original Meiji-period woodblock-printed illustrated book from the historical series Meiji Taiheiki (明治太平記).
The title page clearly credits:
Edited by Murai Seima (村井静馬 編輯)
Illustrated by Eitaku (永濯 画) and lists the Tokyo publisher Enjudō (延壽堂).
The colophon page gives the publication date as: 明治九年二月十四日 — Meiji 9 (1876).
Meiji Taiheiki is a serialized historical narrative depicting the political and military upheavals surrounding the Meiji Restoration. This volume combines dense vertical text with dynamic woodblock illustrations showing samurai, confrontations, and dramatic interior scenes, executed in a style that bridges late Edo visual traditions and early Meiji realism.
The book is printed on handmade washi paper and bound in the traditional fukuro-toji (stab-bound) format. It retains its original covers and shows honest, age-appropriate wear consistent with a 19th-century Japanese book.
Issued under official permission (官許), this series reflects how early Meiji Japan presented recent history to the public through illustrated popular literature.
A genuine and historically important example of Meiji-era Japanese woodblock publishing, highly suitable for collectors of Japanese history, samurai culture, and antique illustrated books.
Key Facts
Title: 明治太平記 (Meiji Taiheiki)
Editor: 村井静馬 (Murai Seima)
Illustrator: 永濯 (Eitaku / Sensai Eitaku)
Publisher: 延壽堂 (Enjudō), Tokyo
Date: 明治九年二月十四日 = 1876
Format: Woodblock print, fukuro-toji binding, washi paper
