Written on January 20, 1988 [Permalink]

Over the New Year break from our English classes, Michiyo and the kids were away at her parent's place in Mie-ken. Sometime during New Year's week, I visited the Sakazaki's for dinner and during the evening they brought out a set of Hyakunin Isshu 'karuta', and we enjoyed 'playing'. Later in the week when Michiyo returned, we got together again for the game. Michiyo became a little bit serious about trying to remember the poems, so I checked out the library for a general book on the subject. There were a few, and I brought some home. I also found in our closet, the 'Sun' series book on the subject, which Hiroyo had given us (with a few others) earlier in the year.

These books all had many illustrations by different artists, but one set of pictures caught my eye. The captions described it as 'Nishiki Hyaku-nin Isshu Azuma-Ori' by Katsukawa Shunsho. I thought about making a copy of one of the pictures, but none of the illustrations in the books was suitable for reproduction (too small, etc.). The credits in a couple of the books pointed to conflicting sources for the illustrations, but with help from Mr. Shimoda and Egami-san at the Hamura library, it seemed that copies were probably in the Toyo Bunko, and/or the National Library. Mr. Shimoda wrote an introduction letter, and I visited both places to see their copies of the book.

While I was sitting in Shimoda's office picking up the letter, I noticed a book on Egami-san's desk; 'Karuta'. It was yet another book on the subject, and turned out to contain not only a full set of illustrations of the series, but a large-size reproduction of the first one, Tenji Tenno.

This was all I needed, and I ordered a set of blocks, made a hanshita on the photocopy machine at a convenience store, and started carving.

The museum and library visits were interesting, but not particularly productive. Both places were rather intimidating, and the idea of inquiring about reproduction never occured to me, as I never thought that it would be permitted.