Nanatsu iroha 七いろは

This material is held atBritish Library Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 59 Or.75.h.4(2)
  • Former Reference
    • GB 59 Pr. Or. 115
  • Dates of Creation
    • [1661-1673]
  • Language of Material
    • Japanese
  • Physical Description
    • 1 volume Condition: Good. Impression: Atozuri, except for mikaeshi and last two pages, which are probably printed from re-cut blocks. Seals of ownership: Octagonal British Museum stamp, MVSEVM BRITANNICVM, on mikaeshi and fol. 9b. Manuscript notes: Note on paper slip pasted to front cover: The Japanese E ro fa or syllabarium with Chinese characters classd under it according to their pronunciation in Japanese. Pencilled transcriptions in roman script of iroha syllables and also on fol. 乙一, possibly in Kaempfer's hand. Old shelfmark: Pr: Or: 115.

Scope and Content

Alternative reading of title: Nana iroha. Alternative reading of title: Shichi iroha. Author/compiler: Unknown. Imprint: N. p., [Tsuruya 鶴屋 ?] Kiemon, n.d. [c. Kanbun period, 1661-73 ?] . No kanki. Publisher's name, Kiemon 喜右衞門, is printed on mikaeshi following iroha syllabary in katakana. Description: 1 kan, 1 satsu, in a box. ff. [1] (mikaeshi), 1-6 (honmon), 乙一 (篇并冠之事), 7-9a (名字 (みやうじ) づくし), 9b- [10a] (iroha-karuta いろはかるた). 218 x 158 mm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 173 x 126 mm. Double-line borders. No fishtail design on hanshin. Vertical rules between columns on ff. 1-6. Kanji and hiragana text, with printed furigana. 5 lines to page, 7 characters to line (in honmon). Original tan covers, now largely oxidised, with embossed peony and lattice design. Original title slip on left, with printed gedai: 萬字盡 (角書) 七いろは ／ みやうじつくししつけかたいろはうた. No naidai. No hashiragaki other than folio no. Edition: An earlier edition than Or75.h.4(1). Contents: The iroha syllabary with seven specimen kanji for each syllable, and kun readings indicated in furigana.

Access Information

Not Public Record(s)

Unrestricted

Acquisition Information

Purchased from the estate of Engelbert Kaempfer by Sir Hans Sloane 1723-1725 and incorporated in the British Museum in 1753.

Other Finding Aids

Kenneth Gardner, Descriptive Catalogue of Japanese books in the British Library printed before 1700 (London and Tenri, 1993). C. Japanese works 和書 8. Literature - poetry 国文-詩歌 d. Jōruri 浄瑠璃

Bibliography

Tōhoku daigaku fuzoku toshokan betchibon mokuroku 東北大学附属図書館別置本目録, p. 53.