A rare picture book of kyoka poetry depicting Tsutaju’s family

The second volume depicts the Tsutaya family's Ebisu Ko ritual.

The picture book “Azuma-go” (Ehon Azuma-go) is a picture book with kyoka (comic poems) published by Tsutaya Juzaburo in 1786. The Ukiyo-e Cafe Tsutaju collection is a reprint of the book in 1797. It consists of three volumes. The illustrations are by Kitao Shigemasa, the preface by Karagoromo Kikkushi, and the publisher is Tsutaya Juzaburo.

This work vividly depicts life in Edo through kyoka (comic poems) and illustrations, weaving together elements of the city’s customs, people, commerce, faith, entertainment, religious beliefs, and satire.

Overview of the three volumes of “Azuma-go” (Ehon Azuma-go)

📕[Volume 1]

Theme: Humorous observations of the city, commerce, and everyday life of the common people in Edo

• The story focuses on the work and daily lives of Edo commoners, including interactions between merchants, hairdressers, bathhouses, fishmongers, and vegetable sellers.
• Each scene is accompanied by a kyoka poem, often filled with satire, irony, and wit.
• Particularly noteworthy are the lively portrayal of townspeople society and the clever wordplay.
• Kitao Shigemasa’s light-hearted style vividly recreates the lives of commoners.

📘[Volume 2]

Theme: Religious events, annual events, daily life and faith of merchants / Tsutaya Juzaburo’s home also featured!

• Themes include annual events and folk beliefs held in Edo, such as Ebisu-ko, Setsubun, Hatsuuma, and Jizo-mairi.
• This volume includes an illustration of a person believed to be Tsutaya Juzaburo participating in an Ebisu-ko. Ebisu-ko is an event dedicated to Ebisu, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, and offers prayers for prosperous business, bountiful harvests, and household safety. While the timing and content of the event vary by region, it is generally held on October 20th and January 20th of the lunar calendar.
• The illustrations and kyoka poems skillfully depict how faith, business, and family life were intertwined.
• This volume also features kyoka poems satirizing faith, combining a critical spirit with humor.

---

📙[Volume 2]

Theme: The world of Edo entertainment, Yoshiwara, customs, and sexual affairs

• With descriptions of the Yoshiwara pleasure district, geisha, kabuki actors (flatterers), and male homosexuality, it delves into the “face of the night” of Edo.
• The illustrations and kyoka poems depict the interactions between courtesans and customers, the workings of brothels, and love affairs on street corners.
• The poem is profound in that it depicts pleasure quarter culture not as mere erotic humor, but as a cross-section of urban culture.
• The kyoka poems also make extensive use of pleasure quarter jargon and slang, and are structured to require a certain level of culture and wit from the reader.

Supplement: Fusion of Kyoka and painting

• Each volume is accompanied by one or several kyoka poems per scene, with the kyoka poems guiding readers through the illustrations.
• The author of the kyoka poems is not specified, but it is believed that the book was created with a famous kyoka poet of the time (the Ōta Nanpo school). Karaginu Kikkū and Ōta Nanpo were two of the greatest kyoka poets, but there was a time when they were at odds with each other. This work suggests that Tsutaya Juzaburo may have acted as a mediator.
• This work is a wonderful blend of Kitao Shigemasa’s light and witty writing style and Tsutaya Juzaburo’s editorial vision.
• While at first glance it is humorous, it has been praised as an intellectual picture book that also contains social criticism and the complexities of urban culture.

Representative illustration from the middle volume: “The Tsutaya family praying at the Ebisu Ko”

➤ Description

• This scene shows Tsutaya Jusaburo and his family praying in front of the Ebisu statue.
• Jusaburo is depicted praying in front, his wife beside him with her hands clasped tightly, and next to her is a man who appears to be his eldest son.
• In the background, the Ebisu statue, the attic of the prayer hall, and the New Year’s decorations are delicately painted, creating the atmosphere of a religious ceremony.

➤ Explanation and reading points

1. A private portrait of Tsutaya Juzaburo

• This painting depicts him as a father and husband, hidden beneath his image as a merchandise merchant.
• Although he was a central figure in the publishing world, he also shows his down-to-earth side, participating in annual events with his family.
• This shows that he was remembered not as a patron of classical art, but as a real, humane person.

2. The painting skills of artist Shigemasa

• As a master of the Hokuo school, the skill of an ukiyo-e artist is poured into every detail.
• Although it is a print, the Ebisu statue’s facial expression, the wood grain, the characters’ clothing, and the depiction of shadows and gestures all convey a rich sense of expressiveness.
• Shigemasa is said to have influenced his beloved disciples Utamaro and Hokusai, and is also highly regarded as a practical leader.

➤ cultural meaning

• It is intriguing how this illustration connects publishing activities, kyoka, family, and annual events in a single picture book.
• By portraying Tsutaya Juzaburo as someone who remained firmly grounded in his family and society, even after he fell on hard times commercially, his image as a “good person” is passed down to future generations.
• It is also a rare example, within the genre of kyoka picture books, of visualizing the positioning of merchants, family, events, and cultural activities.
• This book is rare, with only one copy of the first edition from 1786. Only around five copies of the 1790 edition are known to remain. Our collection is damaged, but we have all three volumes in the middle edition, which depict Tsutaya Juzaburo’s family.

Come and see Tsutaju’s masterpiece picture book kyoka.