Kyoto University Library Network

Four hundred and seventeen titles from the Daiso-bon collection held by the Main Library have been newly digitized and released.

Daiso-bon is a collection of books formerly owned by Daiso (大惣), a book lender run by Sohachi Onoya (大野屋惣八) and his family in Nagoya from the middle of the Edo period to the middle of the Meiji period. Book lenders at the time usually kept books in high demand in their stock and sold the ones out of fashion away to buy new ones. Daiso, however, had a policy not to sell away books they had bought and increased their inventory until the end of the Edo period when they became the largest book lender in Japan. After the arrival of mass production of books in the Meiji period, many book lenders disappeared, Daiso being no exception. Around 1898, Daiso decided to close the business and sold its enormous inventory of 16,734 titles of books, most of which were acquired by the Imperial Library (current National Diet Library), Tokyo Imperial University, Kyoto Imperial University and the Higher Normal School (current University of Tsukuba). Daiso Collection owned by Kyoto University amounts to 3,667 titles, or 13,081 volumes. 
 

▼Daiso-bon

Most of the newly released books are the Maruhon (丸本) that contain entire lyrics of the Jōruri play, and Lots of works by popular dramatists, such as Kokusen'ya kassen (国姓爺合戦) by Chikamatsu Monzaemon (近松門左衛門), Kana tehon Chūshingura (假名手本忠臣蔵: RB00033452, RB00033453, RB00033454) by Takeda Izumo (竹田出雲) and Chikamichi taiheiki (捷徑太平記) by Santō Kyōden (山東京傳) are included. Bakekurabe ushimitsu no kane (化競丑満鐘) by Kyokutei Bakin (曲亭馬琴) is a rare materials that still retains the color-painted title page, the publisher’s greeting, and the advertisements.

“化競丑満鐘”  Left: Title page and advertisements, Right: Front cover

“化競丑満鐘”  Left: Illustrations, Right: Publisher’s greeting

408 of 417 items released this time were digitized under the “Project to Build an International Collaborative Research Network for Pre-modern Japanese Texts” by the National Institute of Japanese Literature in which Kyoto University Library participates.

Three books, Gosan shichiya shidai oboe, Ikoku monogatari and Ehon ikoku ichiran held in the Main Library have been newly released.

Gosan shichiya shidai oboe (御産七夜次第覚) from the Nakanoin Collection is an autograph document by Nakanoin Michimura (中院通村 1588-1653), and is a memorandum on birth rituals at the Imperial Court.
Nakanoin Collection was formerly held by Michinori Nakanoin (1856-1925). The family's contribution to research in Japanese literature is acknowledged. In particular, Michikatsu (1558-1610) and Michimura are renowned for their deep knowledge of Japanese literature, especially waka (31-syllable Japanese poetry). Furthermore, the memorandums of the authoritative precedents of court ceremonies and the records of religious rites are important materials for research in the history of people’s lives.

“御産七夜次第覚”

Ikoku monogatari (異國物語) and Ehon ikoku ichiran (繪本異國一覽) are illustrated books of ethnography published in the Edo period that depict the characteristics of people around the world.
In addition to real countries, legendary countries also appear in these books.

“異國物語”

“繪本異國一覽”

There are some more illustrated books of ethnography published in the Edo period in the Digital Archive.
12titles including 西夏文華嚴經 and 万国人物図 have been newly released (2022-02-04)

The usage of Maruzen eBook Library will change from June 29, 2022. New functions will be added.

■Change of usage:
   You will be required to authenticate your e-mail address when downloading Maruzen eBook Library contents.
   *Please use an email address ending in [.kyoto-u.ac.jp] to authenticate.

■New functions:
   ・Display of "Concurrent Users" and "the part of the search that was hit"
   ・"Recommended Books List" 
   ・"Simple Search", "Advanced Search", and "Code Search"

For more information: https://elib.maruzen.co.jp/app/eguide/announcement_220624.pdf (Japanese)

Due to the above changes, Maruzen eBook Library will be unavailable during the following period.
We appreciate your support and patience.

Date: Tuesday, June. 28, 2022 Time: 19:00-21:00 (JST)
Suspended service: Maruzen eBook Library

Please read the following URL before using the Maruzen eBook Library.
*Violation of the terms of use may result in restrictions on the use of the entire Kyoto University.

https://elib.maruzen.co.jp/app/eguide/mel_manual.pdf (Japanese)

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Three Illustrated Kabuki play books, Kitsunegawa Ima Sesshōseki (狐川今殺生石), Tanba Yosaku (丹波与作) and Ryōshū Renri no Matsu (兩州連理の松), held by the Graduate School of Letters have been newly released.

Illustrated Kabuki play book is an illustrated book published in the Edo period that contains outlines of Kabuki plays.
These books were formerly in the collection of Fumihiko Nakano (中野文彦), but are now in the possession of the Graduate School of Letters.
Although only the first part of the each book remains, the illustrations depicting major scenes and the plates filled with fine text provide a glimpse of the contents of the books.

“狐川今殺生石”

“丹波与作”

“兩州連理の松”

As of June 1, 2022, the Digital Archive provides 1,872,564 images of 23,253 titles.