ISE SANGU MEISHO ZUE: ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO PILGRIMAGE AND FAMOUS PLACES IN ISE O.

Kyoto 1797 Kyotoshorin. Blue stitched wrappers well worn, scuffed,soiled, 6 vol. set, complete, woodblock plates, 18 x 26 cm., contents mostly clean, vol. 4 thumbed, soiled, else contents very clean. RARE FIRST EDITION . *** **** *** . . THE PRINCIPAL SIGHTS ON THE ROAD TO ISE . . . THE VERY RARE FIRST EDITION, 1797 . * THE ARTIST/ILLUSTRATOR: SHITOMI Kangetsu [1747-1797]: Was a well-known Osaka artist who studied under Tsukioka Masanobu Settei. He used several Go [studio names]: Teiyosai, Shion, Genji, Genjiro, Iyosai, Kangetsu, Seigado, most commonly known as Genji Tokuki. Illustrator of the First Edition. See Brown . He was a painter and book illustrator, a great admirer of Sesshu. Studied ancient Chinese & Japanese painting techniques. Well know as a poet and calligrapher, later the proprietor of Osaka Chigusaya bookshop in the mid 1770's. He achieved the rank of Hokkyo, specializing in figures & landscapes, working in an eclectic manner. Per Roberts. . He also illustrated the late 18th century title: NIPPON SANKAI MEISAN ZUE. . *** FIRST EDITION: This is the very RARE FIRST EDITION, a later edition was published in 1801. . *** CONTENTS: 8 volumes bound in 5: "Volumes 1-5 describe with historical reference the famous places on the way from Kyoto to the shrine of Ise and also the shrine and its vicinity. The supplement describes the places surrounding Lake Biwa." The illustrations may be divided into three classes: historical, topographical landscape and popular life. . Covering: "Daijingu of the province of Ise, is the shrine for the Imperial Ancestors. The shrine is divided into two parts: Koh-Daijingu enshrining the goddess Tensho-daijin and Toyoke-no-Daijingu enshrining the god Toyoke-daijin. Visiting this shrine is called ISE SANGU, ISE MAIRI or OKAGE MAIRI, this was a very popular with the people during the Tokugawa era." Toda, p.333 . COLLATION: . sheets illustrations: Vol.1: 46 33 Vol.2: 39 30 Vol.3: 43 26 Vol.4: 49 28 Vol.5-1: 38 32 Vol.5-2: 31 numbered 39-80, 10 illustrations Supplement 1: 35 sheets, 15 illustrations Supplement 2: 35 sheets, numbered 36-80, 19 illustrations . *** CONDITION: Covers: This set is bound in the original green stitched wrappers. The covers are well-worn, some discoloration, fading, rubbing and edge wear. Volume 5 has some cover tissue paper missing, torn; rear cover stained & with some old soiling. Nevertheless all volumes are firmly stitched, solid and stable. . Title slips: each volume has a title slip: volumes 1, 2, 3 & 6 are originals; 4 & 5 are period hand-drawn replacements. All are worn, scuffed; volume 1 with chips to the upper portion. . Contents: remarkably, each volume nicely printed with excellent impression and registry, for the most part printed on bright white Washi paper. Volume 4 has a period manuscript replacement as the first page of contents. A few pages have one color hand-tinting, thumbed, some pages period re-backed, darkening to right edges, else solid. By and large the balance contents are clean, with occasional usual, minor thumbing, others not. . *** REFERENCE: . BROWN, Louise N.: BLOCK PRINTING AND BOOK ILLUSTRATION IN JAPAN, p.68, p.288, 1897 edition illustrated by Shitomi Kangetsu. * BRITISH MUSEUM 1898: later 1808 edition p.2, 288, 5 volume set [8 parts] . BRITISH MUSEUM 1904: later 1801 edition, 16114.d.20. 5 volume set [8 parts] * MITCHELL, C.H. et al.: THE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS OF THE NANGA, MARUYAMA, SHIJO AND OTHER RELATED SCHOOLS OF JAPAN: A Bibliography, p.309, a later edition 1801 in 5 vols. in 8 parts, illustrated by Niwa Tokei. * TODA, Kenji.: DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF JAPANESE AND CHINESE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS IN THE RYERSON LIBRARY OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, p.333 *. ROBERTS, Laurance P.: A DICTIONARY OF JAPANESE ARTISTS: PAINTING, SCULPTURE, CERAMICS, PRINTS, LACQUER, p.68. * NOT IN: Edgren, Kerlen or Chibbett . *.…