HOKKAIDO^ EHON
1955. Item #90175
SARASHINA Genzo^ ; KAWAKAMI Sumio, artist. HOKKAIDO^ EHON. Sapporo: Sarorun Shobo^, Sho^wa 30 (1955). 21.2 x 15.2 cm. Western-style binding. Sarashina Genzo^ (1904-1985) was a Japanese anarchist, activist, and poet active in the Sho^wa period. Born in Hokkaido^ to first-generation settlers, he attended school in To^kyo^ but dropped out to return home. He was critical from a young age of the Japanese government's policy on the assimilation of the Ainu people, and was fired from a job as a school teacher when he refused to teach the prescribed history syllabus. He started the publication of poetry magazines 'Riri' ('Lilly') and 'Gasu', and, inspired by poets like Ozaki Kihachi and Takamura````````````````````````````````````````````````` Ko^taro^, started to write poetry himself. In 1930 he published 'Taneimo', a collection of poems on the plight of poor migrant farmers and the Ainu people. He advanced the study of Ainu culture while working as a substitute teacher, and, after the war, continued his work as a poet and researcher of Ainu fables, songs, and language. Awarded many prizes for his dedication to Ainu studies (over 35 books by Sarashina are recorded on the subject), he eventually became a professor at Hokkai Gakuen University. On the culture, landscapes, and people of Hokkaido^, this book by Sarashina is highly illustrated with black and white kikai-zuri vignettes by famous so^saku hanga artist Kawakami Sumio. It appears to be a second edition copy, as a first edition of the same book was released in Sho^wa 24 (1949) under a different publisher's name. Original wrappers, lightly foxed and edgeworn, minor creases to lower. Mild to moderate foxing to text, occasionally affecting illustration extremities. It appears that colour added to a few images has leaked through to the verso. Ex-bookseller's sticker to front free endpaper, very light creasing to last few pages. Comes with original dust jacket, lightly foxed and edgeworn, slightly chipped, large stain to lower wrapper. Overall very good. A fascinating book of insights into Hokkaido^ and Ainu culture, skilfully illustrated in a folk-art style by Kawakami.
Price: $125.00