Along with Ueno Park, the used bookstore district in Jinbocho is one of my favorite places in Tokyo. I spent hours browsing there earlier this month. I have found so many invaluable books there over the years.
Recently at Jinbocho, I found this gem. Published in 1939, it includes the most important primary sources to focus on the origins of Mitogaku.
The Imperial Chrysanthemum on the front cover is interesting (1939).
[The photo of the Jinbocho street scene is from travel.mynavi.jp.]
Sasaki Takayuki (aka Sasaki Sanshirō) was a Tosa Loyalist Party member under Takechi Hanpeita and friend of Sakamoto Ryoma. His memoir was published in 1915 (Taisho 4). I happily found this gem last week in one of the used bookstores in Jinbocho, Tokyo.
Tuttle informs me that the publication date is currently set for July 2019: “The [Chinese] publisher ran into some difficulties with the translation which caused the delay.” I think that based on his reverence for China, Katsu Kaishu, “the shogun’s last samurai,” would be glad that it will finally come out.
The more I know, the more I need to know: That has been my mantra for most of my adult life, including the more than three decades that I’ve been researching and writing about Bakumatsu history (1853 -68)—“the dawn of modern Japan.” Much of my research has included historical texts, journals, letters, and memoirs written by samurai in archaic Japanese. I’ve learned a lot—a real lot—about those crazed, tumultuous, fascinating times. I hope my readers feel my experience and share my fascination.
[I took the above photo in the library at the famed Teradaya inn in Fushimi, Kyoto, in October 2016.]
Think big! Create! Persevere!