Artist: Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi, Hoto Seal
Publisher: Marutomoe
Shopping Store (Nanbaya)
Theme: Actor Portraits, Famous Places
Cast: Iwai Kumesaburo, Ichikawa Danjūrō, Nakamura Utaemon, Onoe Baiko, Ichimura Uzaemon

“Zuishinmon” refers to the current Nitenmon Gate. In Kuniyoshi’s painting, famous actors are depicted in front of Nanbaya. Nanbaya’s Okita, depicted in Utamaro’s Three Beauties of the Time, was the store’s poster girl. While Nanbaya has since moved, this is a valuable painting that confirms its original location.

“Zuishinmon”: The vivid vermilion east gate of Sensō-ji Temple, a National Important Cultural Property

• The current Nitenmon Gate is a vermilion-painted gate standing to the east of the main hall; the current gate was built in 1649 as the east gate of Sensoji Temple. During the Edo period, it was called Zuishinmon Gate, and Toyoiwamato no Mikoto and Kushiiwamato no Mikoto were enshrined on either side as guardian deities (zuishinzo).
• In 1884, following the separation of Shinto and Buddhism, the zuishinzo that had been enshrined at Zuishinmon Gate were moved to Asakusa Shrine, and statues of Komokuten and Jikokuten were donated from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura. At this time, the name was changed from Zuishinmon to Nitenmon.

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.

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📙[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.

Aiming to become the number one publisher, the decision was made to expand into Nihonbashi. “Seirō Meikun Jishushu” was the signal for the expansion into Nihonbashi.

[Collection of Handwritten Letters of the Blue Chamber Master]
Illustrated by Kitao Masae, Publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo
Source: National Book Database

Should she go to Nihonbashi to expand her sales channels, or to Yoshiwara out of obligation to the Yoshiwara patrons who had looked after her?
Episode 23 of the historical drama “Berabou” depicts Tsutaju’s inner conflict as she decides to leave her beloved Yoshiwara and move to Nihonbashi. Tsutaju moved to Nihonbashi in 1783 (the third year of the Tenmei era).
At the time, Koshodo was booming, with sales of books like “Hama no Kisago,” a guide to kyoka poetry, soaring thanks to the booming popularity of kyoka poetry. Tsutaju was known as “Edo’s number one connoisseur,” and Koshodo became a highly sought-after publisher in Edo. At the same time, book wholesaler Suharaya Ichibei encouraged Tsutaju to move to Nihonbashi. Around the same time, Tsutaju’s nishikie print “Seiro Meigun Jishushu” (The Autobiography of a Lady in a Blue Palace) was receiving lower praise than Nishimuraya’s “Hinakata Wakana,” which left Tsutaju dissatisfied and distressed. The reason for this underestimation was Koshodo’s weak distribution capabilities, located in Yoshiwara, far from the center of Edo. Nishimuraya was located in Nihonbashi, a busy transportation hub, and received large purchases from customers outside Edo, spreading its products throughout the country. Meanwhile, Yoshiwara’s Koshodo was unknown outside of Edo, had no credibility, and was ignored by local customers. This led Tsutajyo to decide to expand into Nihonbashi. However, this angered Tsutajyo’s adoptive father, the owner of Surugaya.

“If you make a name for yourself, that’s all for you. Who do you think helped you get to this point?” the owner yelled, punching him and kicking him down the stairs. But Tsutajyo, who fell down the stairs, remained undeterred.
“If a Yoshiwara merchant from the outskirts of Edo can set up shop in the cultural heart of Edo and succeed, it will change the way people who despise Yoshiwara view him. If you rise to the top, it will be proof that a person’s origins and upbringing have nothing to do with their worth,” he persuades.
Bleeding, he climbs the stairs and approaches his father, saying, “Wouldn’t this be a way to repay the kindness of a foundling who was raised in this town, as a first-class citizen?” Personally, this scene in episode 23 was the most captivating for me. Another highlight was the escalating honey trap of the little devil, Daresode.
As if to prove that they can’t find evidence of smuggling, they should just let him do it, she uses her feminine charms, such as sex appeal and tears, to close in on Hirotoshi, the younger brother of the head of the Matsumae clan. How this all ends will likely be a major highlight. Also, in episode 23, three active makuuchi wrestlers, Wakamotoharu, Endo, and Nishikigi, appeared as sekitori in a banquet scene.
Although his appearance was short, it was a surprising casting choice.

It seems there are more surprises in store for the cast in the future, so don’t miss out!

[New Exhibition Information]
Shiraishi Banashi: Revenge, Painting by Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi
Shin Yoshiwara Chapter: Go Taiheiki Shiraishi Banashi (Original Script)

“Go Taiheiki Shiraishi Banashi” is a masterpiece of joruri and kabuki dramatized based on an actual vendetta that took place during the Edo period. It consists of 11 acts, and is a collaborative work by Chikamatsu Hanji, Namiki Gohei, Takeda Koizumo, and Karatei Enma. It premiered in 1777 at the Takemotoza Theater in Osaka. Miyagino and Nobuo, daughters of farmer Yomosaku, vow to avenge their father’s death at the hands of the samurai retainer Shiga Danshichi. The older sister becomes a prostitute in Yoshiwara, while the younger sister trains in martial arts, and they reunite. With permission from the shogunate, they finally avenge their father’s death at the Shiraishi River.

One of the most famous scenes in the play is the “Shin Yoshiwara no Dan” (New Yoshiwara Scene). Written by the playwright Utei Enma, this scene richly depicts the sisters’ reunion and their determination to seek revenge. Tsutaya is thought to have been close friends with Utaya Enma.

The “Shin Yoshiwara no Dan” is a moving scene depicting the sisters’ reunion and their determination. The scene depicts the older sister, Miyagino, working as a courtesan at a daifukuya in Yoshiwara, intersecting the world of prostitutes with the samurai value of revenge. The scene also features a rental bookstore called “Honju” selling the illustrated stories and reading books featured in the story. Honju is modeled after the real-life publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo, who was deeply involved in the publication and promotion of this play. Tsutaya worked with ukiyo-e artists and actors, and was instrumental in popularizing this work to the masses not only as a play, but also as illustrated zoshi and nishiki-e prints. Tsutaju is a prime example of a business model that leveraged the popularity of joruri and kabuki to generate sales for publications. This fascinating work demonstrates Tsutaju’s thoughtful approach to the publishing business, encompassing art, performance, marketing, and company branding.

Our shop will be holding a seasonal exhibition of the magnificent three-panel revenge scene created by Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi in 1853, as well as the script for the Shin Yoshiwara section of this work.

Ukiyo-e Cafe Tsutaju changes its exhibits every few months.

At X, we’ll be giving you a sneak preview of some of the changing works. Stay tuned!

Koikawa Harumachi and Sankyoden perform a crazy 31-syllable “fart.” The devilish Tagasode shows his true colors.

In the historical drama “Berabou,” there are many hilarious moments during Tsutaju’s conversations with the kyoka poets, and Koikawa Harumachi delivered one in episode 22. Personally, this was the funniest of all 22 episodes. First of all, Koikawa Harumachi’s mad name is interesting. A kyoka poet’s pseudonym is the pen name he uses as a writer. Many mad names are unique, and Koikawa Harumachi’s “Sake no Ue no Furachi” (Furachi the drunkard) is my favorite. Harumachi got completely drunk at the unveiling of Kitagawa Utamaro’s work in episode 21, and after accusing Sankyoden of “stealing my work” and calling him a thief, he ended up breaking his brush and declaring his retirement. Having made such a disgraceful display, he felt he had no choice but to back down and continued to turn down Tsutaju’s commissions. However, with encouragement from Utamaro and Kisanji, he came up with a groundbreaking idea. She then arrives at Koshodo with a piece of paper bearing a mysterious character written on it: the four kanji characters for her name (love, river, spring, and town) are used as radicals, with the kanji character “loss” as the side character. The kanji characters mean “regret” (love) and “loss” (river), “wither” (river), “miss” (spring) and “loss” (suddenly), “miss” (spring) and “miss” (suddenly), and “unpopular” (town). Upon hearing this, Tsutae proposes creating “Harumachi characters” based on Yoshiwara, and, using the character arrangement in the traffic document “※1 Ono no Takamura Utajizukushi” (Ono no Takamura Utajizukushi), she publishes the blue book of kanji games, “Sato no Bakamura Mudajizukushi (Kuruwa Gufu Jizukushi).” This brings Harumachi back from its rock bottom, but it does it again at the end of episode 22.

※1 What is “Ono no Takamura Utajizukushi”?

This is a huge bestseller and a terakoya (temple school) introductory book on cursive writing. Its clever mechanism of using waka poetry to memorize groups of kanji characters made the “song x character” learning style popular with the common people of the time. Incidentally, Ono no Takamura of the Heian period was a nobleman, but he is not the author of this work. He was a master of Chinese poetry and waka poetry, so Ono no Takamura was used in the book’s title to lend it authority. At the Shoukiyo-e Cafe Tsutaju, an authentic copy of “Ono no Takamura Utajizen,” published in 1784, is on display.

Next, at a year-end party hosted by Tsutaju for his coworkers, Tsutaju’s brother Jirobei plays the shamisen, attracting the attention of the guests. Harumachi, clad in a loincloth, appears. “I want everyone to at least have some laughs at the end of the year!” he exclaims, before dancing and farting. Furthermore, after he had exhausted all his farts, he performed a fart dance while making a “puu, puu” sound, bringing the laughter to a fever pitch. Many viewers were sure to erupt in laughter at this lewd party trick, truly worthy of the name “Drinking Insolence.” Also impressive this time was the devilish behavior of the courtesan, Daresode, who had been in love with Tsutae. In the previous episode, Daresode approached Ichi, the eldest son of the senior councilor Tanuma Okitsugu, who had infiltrated Yoshiwara to find evidence of the Matsumae clan’s smuggling, in order to confiscate Ezo from the Matsumae clan. He boldly became a spy himself, demanding that if he found evidence of the Matsumae clan’s smuggling, he would be willing to betray him instead. He then contacted Hirotoshi, the younger brother of the Matsumae clan’s head, who had come to Yoshiwara, and attempted to uncover evidence of smuggling. This was a quintessential Edo-period honey trap. Not only Tsutaju’s performance, but everyone else’s performances have become so exciting that we can’t take our eyes off them.

Image: Yoshiwara Keisei: New Beauty Collected Handwritten Mirror
Source: ColBase

Amazing performance by Kazuki Enari. Ito Atsushi plays the second generation Ichibei Daimonji, and his character is a brilliant performance!

Enari brilliantly portrayed the bold and arrogant lord of the Matsumae domain. It was scary. Ito Atsushi reprised his role as the second Daimonji Ichibei, adopted after the death of the first Daimonji Bunro. He played a more feminine character, a stark contrast to the first, and even Ito’s appearance is instantly recognizable. It’s scary to think that the devilish “Daresode,” the eye of the storm, will gradually come into her own as the second Daimonjiya courtesan.

Tsutaju had been steadily rising in the taiga drama “Berabou,” but in episode 21, she suffered a major setback. In the previous episode, she plagiarized Nishimuraya’s “Hinakata Wakaba Hatsumoyo,” but her published work, “Hinakata Wakaba Hatsumoyo,” didn’t sell at all. The reason for this was “instructions.” Instructions are instructions a printer receives from an artist or publisher when printing a work. He gives instructions on a variety of things, such as color placement, intensity, printing position, and paper size, and these instructions can significantly affect the final quality of the print. In short, while Utamaro’s skilled impersonation allowed him to create a rough sketch that rivaled the original, Tsutaju’s inadequate instructions resulted in poor color development and ultimately a print that fell short of Nishimuraya’s Nishiki-e. This is true in modern society, too. Take generative AI, for example. While generative AI can produce creative works, the quality of the finished product depends on whether you can give specific, accurate instructions about what you want it to create.

Experience is important to be able to give such specific, accurate instructions, and Tsutaju lacked that experience. I recently had a similar experience. At Ukiyo-e Cafe Tsutaju, we’re taking on a new challenge: becoming the publisher ourselves and reviving Tsutaya Juzaburo’s masterpieces. During the woodblock print production process, we often encounter situations where we have to give instructions to the publisher, carvers, and printers. I realized that producing reproduction woodblock prints requires comprehensive knowledge and experience of processes, techniques, materials, and historical context, and that good communication with the artisans is also paramount. Without clear instructions from the publisher, the intended work cannot be completed. In this drama, it seems that Tsutaju lacked both experience and knowledge. As Nishimuraya says, multi-colored nishiki-e prints cannot be produced overnight with superficial knowledge!

Then, in episode 21, an incident occurs that further depresses Tsutaju.

The cause of this was my favorite, Sankyoden (Kitao Masaen). Masaen published a blue book under the name Sankyoden through Tsuruya. Until then, Tsutaju had had a close relationship with Kitao Masaen as an artist, but had not recognized Masaen’s talent as a playwright. That talent was discovered by Tsuruya, a rival shop with a long history with Tsutaju. Thanks to this, Santo Kyoden made great strides. Tsutajyo, keenly aware of her own lack of ability and losing confidence, was encouraged by Ota Nanpo, who said, “Your lack of experience is your strength.” With these words, “That’s why you can produce things that people who have been doing it for a long time can’t,” Tsutajyo reaffirmed that her strength lies in her planning ability.

In the near future, Tsutajyo will overcome this setback and form a golden duo with Santo Kyoden, completing “Yoshiwara Keisei: New Beauty Collected by Hand.” It seems like this episode will be a little further down the line.

From there, she starts coming up with ideas one after another, and together with Santo Kyoden, they produce a string of hits with their yellow-covered books and sharebon books. It’s something to look forward to in the drama going forward.

Another highlight of this episode was the impressive acting of the actors. There were plenty of highlights, including the eccentric performance of Enari Kazuki, who played Matsumae Michihiro, the lord of the Matsumae domain, the alluring performance of Fukuhara Haruka, who played the courtesan Daresode, and the stark contrast between the character played by Ito Atsushi, who returned as the second-generation head of Oomonjiya, also known as "the pumpkin husband," who died in the previous episode. I'm looking forward to future developments!

Torii Kiyonaga's "Hinakata Wakana First Pattern" by Segawa of Matsubaya. Source: Tokyo National Museum

Tsutaju’s encounter with Ota Nanpo leads to the creation of kyoka collections and kyoka picture books

Ike Ike Don Don Koshodo

Tsutaju entered the world of kyoka poetry after meeting Ōta Nanpo, one of the most prominent cultural figures of the Edo period. Kyoka poetry is a literary genre incorporating social satire and irony within the waka form. During Tsutaju’s time, kyoka books, often accompanied by ukiyo-e and other illustrations, were created. Kyoka poetry became extremely popular during the Tenmei era (1781-1789), spawning numerous kyoka poets, including Ōta Nanpo. Episode 20 of the historical drama “Berabō” depicts Tsutaju’s encounter with Ōta Nanpo. Enthralled by Nanpo’s lively conversation and ingenuity, as well as a kyoka performance he attended at Nanpo’s invitation, Tsutaju resolved to popularize kyoka poetry. Meanwhile, significant progress was made in the long-running battle between Koshodo and the Jihon Wholesalers Alliance. Until then, Tsutaju had been excluded from dealings with local book wholesalers in the city, meaning that books published by Koshodo were not available in Edo. But one day, a local book wholesaler showed up and asked to purchase Kisanji’s “Mitoku Ichi-tai-mu.” Surprised, Tsutaju asked if he was okay with this among his colleagues. To which he replied, “Not stocking the most popular book of the year would be bad for a bookstore, so you can’t make an excuse, right?” Essentially, “As long as I can come up with an excuse, they’ll stock Koshodo books.” Seeing an opportunity, Tsutaju embarked on a bold strategy.

At the time, a nishiki-e print called “Hinagata Wakana Hatsumoyo,” illustrated by Torii Kiyonaga, a ukiyo-e artist who was at the height of his career in bijin-ga (portraits of beautiful women), published by the large rival store Nishimuraya, was gaining popularity throughout Edo. So Tsutaju commissioned Kitagawa Utamaro to paint a nishiki-e (colored woodblock print) of a courtesan in a style identical to Torii Kiyonaga’s, titled “Hina-gata Wakaba Hatsu-moyo” (First Motome) with just one character different, and sold it to the wealthy merchants visiting Yoshiwara. Because the artist was still unknown, Utamaro sold it for half the amount of money (deposits collected from those wishing to purchase books and other items) that Nishimuraya had, which led to many merchants switching to Koshodo. Seeing this, small and medium-sized jihon wholesalers in the city sought to capitalize on the business opportunity and pressured the larger merchants to allow them to do business with Koshodo. This allowed Koshodo to officially do business with bookstores throughout Edo. While unthinkable in today’s world of copyright, this kind of cunning strategy plays out one after another in the battle between Koshodo and the jihon wholesalers depicted in the drama. In episode 20, when an angry Nishimuraya blamed Tsutaju, Tsutaju retorted, “It was Nishimuraya who taught me that dirty ways were okay.” I’m sure many viewers felt relieved after seeing this scene.

A collection of essays by Professor Nebo, written by Nanpo Ota.
This masterpiece created the Tenmei Kyoka boom. Nanpo Ota is known as the founder of the revival of Kyoka.

With the taiga drama now reaching the middle stage, Tsutaju’s business appears to be expanding. Among these, Sankyoden is likely to be the one making the greatest contribution.
At present, Utamaro is overwhelmingly more well-known, but I feel that Sankyoden far surpassed him in overall ability as a creator. Not only was he a poet, painter and gifted writer, he was also handsome and managed to buy the freedom of two courtesans, making him seem like an Edoite who embodied the pinnacle of sophistication.
It may also be influenced by the fact that I happen to have many works by Sankyoden (Kitao Masanori). My endorsement of Sankyoden is purely personal, but there are also many masterpieces that are objectively highly acclaimed. The yellow-covered masterpiece “Edo Nama Enki Kabayaki,” the jokeboshi masterpiece “Tsūgen Sori,” and the highly acclaimed pinnacle of his work, “Kyosei Kai 48 Te” are all works by Sankyoden. This work embodies a worldview that only Kyoden, a frequenter of courtesans and thoroughly familiar with the customs and practices of Yoshiwara and the sleight of hand of the prostitutes, could have portrayed. He possessed the ultimate understanding of insight and insight. It’s no exaggeration to say that Sankyoden was the pinnacle of insight.

At the height of his powers, in 1791, he was hit by a literary scandal, leading to the shogunate’s suspension of his humorous trilogy, including “Shikake Bunko,” for disrupting society. After being placed under shackles for 50 days, he distanced himself from humorous stories and shifted his focus to moral books, leading some experts to believe that the sharpness of his Kyoden style of insight faded.

However, Sankyoden made a comeback with the 1793 yellow-covered “Kannin Fukuro Ojime Zentama.” His master, Kitao Masanobu, provided the illustrations, and the story reunited the Sankyoden Kitao team. His brilliant portrayal of moral lessons from the protagonist’s inner conflict between good and bad, and his influence on the Edo townspeople continued unabated, even creating a boom with the villain dance.

The playwright who greatly supported Koshodo in the early part of the story was Hosei-do Kisanji, but Santo Kyoden will surely play an active role in the middle part.

Santo Kyoden, a handsome hyper-creator, appears to have had a rather dramatic life. I’m looking forward to seeing how he’s portrayed in Berabou.

The original Edo period works by Santo Kyoden listed above are currently on display at Ukiyo-e Cafe Tsutaju. Please come and see the works of the real Tsutaya Juzaburo and Santo Kyoden.

Wow, Ryusei’s acting was amazing! Ainosuke was also thrilled! It was amazing.

Following last week, yesterday’s episode was another one that really brought home the sense of duty and humanity of the Edo period. I’m sure many were moved to tears!

Now, as for the synopsis…

In episode 19 of the taiga drama “Berabou,” the rival book wholesaler Urokogataya, the origin of Tsutaju’s publishing business, is closing down, and the story revolves around the transfer of its in-house author, Koikawa Harumachi.

Initially, Harumachi planned to transfer to industry giant Tsuruya, but the two clashed due to differences in their thinking. Tsuruya, wanting to prioritize best-selling books, wanted Harumachi to write a sequel to his previous bestseller, “Kaneka Sensei Eiga Yume.” However, Harumachi refused, saying, “I don’t like doing the same thing. It would be rude to readers,” and the rift between them only deepened.

Tsutaju wanted to bring Harumachi into his camp, but he was dismissed as a thief who had stolen work from his benefactor, Urokogataya. Meanwhile, Urokogataya, concerned about Harumachi’s situation, overcame their past grudges and wrote Tsutaju a letter asking, “Hey, can you please snatch Professor Harumachi away from Tsuruya?”

To make this unexpected proposal a reality, Tsutaju began working on a concept for the work that would inspire Harumachi, who is obsessed with new things. After working on the idea with Urokogataya, Kisanji, Utamaro, and the people of the red-light district, they came up with the idea of ​​”Edo a hundred years in the future,” and proposed to Harumachi, “Why don’t you depict Edo in the future? An Edo a hundred years in the future that no one has ever seen.” While Harumachi was intrigued by the idea, Tsutaju expressed hesitation. Tsutaju then persuaded him, saying, “I want to see the Edo of a hundred years into the future, the eccentric yet truly moving image that Professor Harumachi has come up with.” Tsutaju then succeeded in moving him. Later, as Urokogataya was closing down his shop, he apologized to Tsutaju for his past actions and handed him a woodblock copy of “The Tale of Bunta the Salt Seller.” The book was the first book Tsutaju bought as a child, and the one he had given to Segawa. Holding the woodblock and wiping away tears, Tsutaju said, “To me, this is a treasure like no other,” and Tsutaju and Urokogataya reconciled.

[Source]
National Diet Library, Digital Collections

Karamaru appears again!

The famous Kitagawa Utamaro has finally arrived at Koshodo.

In episode 18 of “Berabou,” Kitagawa Utamaro, the genius painter discovered by Tsutaju, appears and is welcomed as Tsutaju’s brother-in-law. Kitagawa Utamaro is known as a master of bijin-ga (portraits of beautiful women), and remains an ukiyo-e artist highly acclaimed worldwide.

His birth year, birthplace, and hometown are unknown, but in the drama he plays Karamaru, a boy who once helped Tsutaju with his work but then went missing.

They meet again in episode 18, and he confesses his tragic life story, revealing that he grew up without love from his mother, who was a prostitute, and that he was forced to sell his body from the age of seven.

He also reveals that he fled the Great Fire of Edo, leaving his mother behind when she was crushed under a building.

Later, Karamaru took on the name Sutekichi and made a living as a ghostwriter and male prostitute, living a life that was physically demanding, until Tsutaju came to his rescue.

Going forward, he will live a second life with Tsutaju. The drama also features Toriyama Sekien, from whom Utamaro is said to have learned painting.

Karamaru’s interactions with Toriyama Sekien are depicted as the only time of peace he experienced during his turbulent childhood.

Toriyama Sekien was a mid-Edo period ukiyo-e artist known for his yokai paintings. It’s said that Shigeru Mizuki, the creator of “GeGeGe no Kitaro,” was also greatly influenced by his work. It’s also worth exploring Toriyama Sekien’s yokai paintings, which serve as a surprising insight into Utamaro’s roots.

★★★A café and art museum in the land associated with Tsutaya Juzaburo★★★

“Ukiyo-e Cafe Tsutaju” at Yoshiwara Daimon Gate
Authentic Tsutaju works on display! https://www.ukiyoecafe.jp/
4-11-16 Senzoku, Taito-ku

Image Source
From Toriyama Sekien's "Illustrated Night Parade of One Hundred Demons": ① Kappa and Otter ② Tengu and Echo.
"Illustrated Night Parade of One Hundred Demons" (Edo-Tokyo Museum Collection) Source: National Book Database, https://doi.org/10.20730/100450747