string-bound manuscript with light brown cover; contains images of Western material culture with description written in English and translated into Japanese; details regarding objects and/or customs written in Japanese; opens with counters in numerals and Japanese; contains descriptions of food, games, and other ephemera such as lamps, furniture, architectural features, and tools; also contains lengthy descriptions in Japanese of foreign customs and methods of entertainment, farming etc.

Draft of New Guide to the Ways of the West (Tsūzoku nichijō Seiyō shohō shinsho sōkō), c. 1870s

expand_more
Not on Viewexpand_more

As the Japanese ports opened up to foreign powers, the sight of foreigners became more common in Japan. Naturally, curiosity and interest in the lives of Westerners soared as Japan entered the Meiji period (1868–1912). New Guide to the Ways of the West attempted to answer various questions about the lives of Europeans and Americans. The book covers all the basics and more: numbers (Roman, Arabic, and English), the alphabet, measurements and units, currency names and rates, notable exports of certain European countries, a visual dictionary of objects, architecture, manners, recipes, children’s games, agricultural practices, horticulture, and animal husbandry.

Not all books prepared for print made it to publication, which is why it’s crossed out on the label. While this book only exists as a draft, one can see how a writer prepared a manuscript for woodblock printing. The writer laid out each page, makings sure to mark the borders and margins himself, and altered illustrations with layers of paper or red ink.

file_downloadprintshare
arrow_back home
Details
Title
Draft of New Guide to the Ways of the West (Tsūzoku nichijō Seiyō shohō shinsho sōkō)
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2015.79.227
Catalogue Raisonne
Murase, Art through a Lifetime, no. 497
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know

Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.

string-bound manuscript with light brown cover; contains images of Western material culture with description written in English and translated into Japanese; details regarding objects and/or customs written in Japanese; opens with counters in numerals and Japanese; contains descriptions of food, games, and other ephemera such as lamps, furniture, architectural features, and tools; also contains lengthy descriptions in Japanese of foreign customs and methods of entertainment, farming etc.