夜嵐阿衣花廼仇夢 (Yoarashi Okinu Hana no Adayume) - Pair of Meiji Woodblock-Illustrated Volumes, 1878
A scarce pair of original Meiji-period Japanese woodblock-illustrated books from the popular serial novel 夜嵐阿衣花廼仇夢 (Yoarashi Okinu Hana no Adayume), published in Tokyo during the early Meiji period. Written by Okamoto Kisen (Okamoto Kanzō) and illustrated by Nagashima Mōsai (Utagawa Yoshitora), the work belongs to the flourishing tradition of illustrated popular fiction that bridged the late Edo and early Meiji eras. Combining dramatic storytelling with finely cut woodblock illustrations, the narrative follows themes of loyalty, revenge, crime and the supernatural, presented through expressive theatrical compositions and richly detailed depictions of contemporary costume, interiors and street scenes. Originally issued as an extended multi-volume work, surviving individual volumes have become increasingly difficult to find, particularly outside Japan.
Both books retain numerous bold woodblock illustrations throughout, depicting samurai, townspeople, ghosts, dramatic confrontations and domestic scenes in the highly distinctive style of Meiji popular publishing. Several illustrations are especially striking, including supernatural apparitions and full-page dramatic compositions that demonstrate the continuing influence of the Utagawa school on book illustration during the early Meiji period. Publisher's advertisements at the rear provide an interesting snapshot of contemporary Japanese publishing, including advertisements for other popular illustrated works issued by Kinrindō. These two volumes are offered together as related parts of the same work, making an attractive and increasingly uncommon survival from one of the formative periods of modern Japanese illustrated literature.
Title: 夜嵐阿衣花廼仇夢
Romanisation: Yoarashi Okinu Hana no Adayume
Approximate English title: Night Storm: Okinu - Flower Dreams of Revenge
Author: 岡本季仙 (Okamoto Kisen / Okamoto Kanzō)
Illustrator: 長島孟斎 (Nagashima Mōsai), also associated with the Utagawa school
Publisher: 金鱗堂 (Kinrindō), Tokyo
Publisher: 岡本文助 (Okamoto Bunsuke)
Date: Meiji 11 (1878)
Both volumes remain in good overall condition and have been sympathetically rebound some time ago in traditional Japanese fukuro-toji (stab-sewn) style using complementary decorative paper-covered wrappers. Although not retaining their original printed wrappers, both bindings remain sound and attractive, with the original text blocks preserved and the stab stitching secure.
The interiors are clean and well preserved overall. The woodblock illustrations remain dark, sharp and well impressed throughout, with gentle age toning as expected. One volume retains publisher's advertisements to the rear, while both contain numerous full-page and half-page illustrations. There is general age-related wear to the replacement covers together with minor creasing and occasional small corner folds, but overall these present as an attractive and well-preserved pair of early Meiji illustrated books.
Text in Japanese.
Covers + 16pp & 18pp.
Weight approximately 34g unpacked (the pair).
Dimensions: each volume approximately 178mm high x 118mm wide x 4mm deep.