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はじめに
明治期に日本文化を海外に伝えた縮緬本

 
<ちりめん本について>
 ちりめん本とは、印刷された和紙を圧縮して縮緬<ちりめん>状に加工し、和綴じ形式の書物にして刊行したものである。英語圏ではクレープ・ペーパー・ブック(Crepe-paper book)と呼ばれる。明治時代に在日欧米人が日本に古くから伝わる伝説やお伽噺<とぎばなし>などを翻訳し、その粗筋に沿って日本人絵師が挿絵を描き、手彫りの木版で上質の和紙に手作業で印刷がなされたものを、縮緬加工し出版したのが始まりで、伝説やお伽噺のほかに日本の文化について書かれたものもある。翻訳された言語も英語、ドイツ語、フランス語、スペイン語、ポルトガル語などさまざまである。また、これらの成功によって、若干ではあるが外国を舞台とした物語なども出版され、海外の図書販売店との販売契約も手伝ってちりめん本は欧米やアジアの国々に広がっていった。

<初めてちりめん本を発行した長谷川武次郎と長谷川弘文社>

 ちりめん本を企画し初めて出版した人物は長谷川武次郎である。彼は嘉永6(1853)年に江戸の日本橋で西宮家の次男として生まれた。西宮家は明治時代になって食料の輸入業を営んでいたようで、そのことが武次郎の外国や外国人に関する研ぎ澄まされた感覚を養う一因になったと考えられる。一方では、母方の長谷川家には子がなく、この家を武次郎が継ぐため長谷川姓を名乗った。その後ミッションスクールで英語を身につけると共に商法も学び、明治13(1880)年、27歳の時にキリスト教の洗礼を受けている。

 書籍の出版に携わり始めたのはその四年後の明治17(1884)年で、この頃に長谷川弘文社を立ち上げている。明治18(1885)年には『桃太郎』をはじめとする初めてのちりめん本を「日本昔噺」シリーズとして発行した。以後、「続 日本昔噺」シリーズや『絵で見る日本の人々の生活』など、日本の文化に関するものも数多く刊行している。さらにその後、この仕事は武次郎の次男である西宮与作など、武次郎と共にちりめん本作成に携わっていた所謂、長谷川系の人たちが受け継ぐことになる。


<武次郎と関わった外国人翻訳者たち>
 日本の昔噺の訳述と日本文化の外国語での紹介をおこなった人たちは、主に(1)在日のキリスト教宣教師(2)お雇い外国人(3)駐日外交官と軍人関係、などに分けることができる。武次郎は彼らと深い親交を結び、翻訳の打ち合わせや挿絵絵師との調整も綿密に行ったものと思われる。こうして、武次郎は自らが受洗したアメリカ長老派の宣教師デビッド・タムソン(David Thompson)やヘボン式ローマ字の開発者として知られる同じくアメリカ長老派の宣教師ジェームズ・ヘボン(James C.Hepburn)、お雇い外国人で東京帝国大学のイギリス人教員バジル・ホール・チェンバレン(Basil Hall Chamberlain)、英国海軍軍人のトーマス・ジェイムズの妻ジェイムズ夫人(Mrs.James)らの訳述で「日本昔噺」シリーズを発行した。
 また、小泉八雲として馴染みの深いラフカディオ・ハーン(Lafcadio Hearn)も五篇の昔噺を訳述している。さらに、日本の伝統文化を格調高くドイツ語に翻訳した東京帝大教員のカール・フローレンツ(Karl Florenz)や、東京下町の風情を紹介したフランス公使館のジュール・アダン(Jules Adam)など、武次郎の周囲で多士済々の顔ぶれの外国人が翻訳と出版を支えていた。

<武次郎出版のちりめん本に挿絵を描いた日本人絵師たち>
 ちりめん本が初めて出版された明治18年頃までの日本画壇は、まだ江戸時代からの画法が主流を占めており、その伝統的な筆使いがこのちりめん本の価値をさらに高めている。ちりめん本の第一号となる「日本昔噺」シリーズの多くは小林永濯<こばやしえいたく>が描き、芸術性の高い書物である「ちりめん本」の挿絵絵師そのものの地位を高めた。その後、歌川芳宗<うたがわよしむね>の末子である新井芳宗<あらいよしむね>(周次郎)や後に花鳥山水図で有名になる鈴木華邨<すずきかそん>(宗太郎)、新聞や雑誌の挿絵で名を成した三島蕉窓<みしましょうそう>(雄之助)、枝貞彦<えださだひこ>(貞次郎)、川端玉章<かわばたぎょくしょう>、さらに明治時代の代表的な日本画家となる梶田半古<かじたはんこ>(鼎太郎<ていたろう>、碇次郎<ていじろう>)らが続いた。彼らの作品は、多くの挿絵画家の作品が並ぶ明治27(1894)年刊行の『東の国からの詩の挨拶』に取り入れられ、その英語版の巻末には絵師の説明も記載されている。


<武次郎が提携した海外の販売網>
 武次郎が海外販売を発行当初から意図していたかどうかは明らかではないが、外国人が帰国する際に母国にちりめん本を持ち帰る人も現れ、その文化的な価値が海外でも認められるようになった。こうした中、上海に機軸をおき横浜に支社を持ったKelly & Walsh社と販売契約を
結び、海外での販売網を活用した。さらに、ドイツのライプツィヒにあるAmelang社やロンドンのGriffin Farran社とも販売提携を結び、欧米での販売を促進している。これらの社名は、多くのちりめん本の奥付に記載されており、その国際性を知ることができる。


<長谷川弘文社以外のちりめん本発行者>

 人気を博した長谷川弘文社のちりめん本を真似たものも現れた。出版社としての情報は殆どわからないが、松室八千三<まつむろやちぞう>という発行者のもと、林弘之<はやしひろゆき>という人物が英訳した日本昔噺のシリーズが残っている。これらは、表紙以外は色刷りがなされておらず、中の挿絵は極めて少ない。絵師の名も記載がなく、芸術的価値は低いとされている。明治27(1894)年から博文館より刊行された巌谷小波<いわやさざなみ>の『日本昔噺』の文章を英訳したような内容で、いずれも長文である。外国人が訳した長谷川弘文社のものと比べると、話の筋は昔ながらの伝承を採っており忠実ではあるが、英文が不自然な説明調でぎこちなく、綴り字の間違いも多い。
 なお、松室八千三のほかにもちりめん本を手掛けた出版社(者)が、多くはないが若干、確認されている。
Preface
Chirimen-bon - a medium for overseas transmission of Japanese culture
in the Meiji period
 
<Chirimen-bon>
 The term "chirimen-bon" refers to books that were made by crinkling "washi" (i.e., Japanese paper) printed with the contents (i.e., text and/or pictures) before binding them Japanese-style as pages. They are called "Crepe-paper books" in English. They arose in the Meiji period, with the publication of translations, made by Westerners residing in Japan, of old legends and tales. Typically, the text was illustrated by a Japanese illustrator in accordance with the plot, and hand-carved woodblocks were used for manual printing on high-grade "washi," which was crinkled before binding. Besides those relating legends and tales, there were some "chirimen-bon" written about Japanese culture. They come in a diversity of languages, mainly including English, German, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Their success led to the publication of some stories, albeit few, set in other countries. With the help of sales contracts concluded with overseas bookstores, "chirimen-bon" found increasing favor in Europe, North America, and other Asian countries.

<Takejiro Hasegawa and Hasegawa Kobunsha, the first publisher of "chirimen-bon">
 Takejiro Hasegawa conceived, and was the first person to publish, "chirimen-bon." He was born as the second son of the Nishimiya family in the Nihonbashi district of Edo (i.e., present-day Tokyo) in 1853 (Kaei 6). In the early Meiji period, the family was apparently engaged in import of foodstuffs, and this may have been partly due to his enlightened attitude about other countries and their people. His mother's family, which was named Hasegawa, lacked a male heir, and Takejiro took this surname to assure her family's continuation. He learned English at a mission school while also studying business laws. In 1880 (Meiji 13), at age 27, he was baptized and became a Christian.

 Hasegawa's involvement with publishing began four years later, in 1884 (Meiji 17). Around the same year, he established the firm Hasegawa Kobunsha. In 1885 (Meiji 18), he published his first "chirimen-bon", Japanese Fairy Tale Series, consisting of Momotaro (i.e., Little Peachling) and other stories. He followed this with Japanese Fairy Tale Series Enlarged Edition, E de Miru Nippon no Hitobito no Seikatsu (i.e., Japanese Pictures of Japanese Life), and many other publications on Japanese culture. This business was subsequently carried on by Yosaku Nishimiya, his second son, and other relatives who had collaborated in the making of "chirimen-bon" with him.

<Foreign translators who worked with Takejiro>
 The people who translated Japanese fairy tales and introduced Japanese culture in foreign languages can be divided into three general categories: 1) Christian missionaries living in Japan, 2) educators who had been invited to Japan by the Meiji government, and 3) resident foreign diplomats and military personnel. Takejiro probably formed strong ties with them and made careful preparations for translations while closely coordinating the work by illustrators. The "Japanese Fairy Tale" Series was published with translations by David Thompson, a U.S. Presbyterian missionary who had baptized Takejiro; James C. Hepburn, another U.S. Presbyterian missionary who is well-known as the architect of the romanization system bearing his name; Basil Hall Chamberlain, a British educator who was invited to teach at Tokyo Imperial University; and the wife of Thomas James, a British naval officer.

 Lafcadio Hearn, who is better known in Japan by his Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo, also retold five volumes of stories in English. In addition, Takejiro published translations by Karl Florenz, who was also on the faculty of Tokyo Imperial University and produced elegant German translations that conveyed traditional Japanese culture, and Jules Adam, who was a member of the French legation and profiled popular life and customs among the inhabitants of downtown Tokyo. Takejiro was therefore connected with a veritable galaxy of talented foreign nationals who made translations and otherwise supported his publication work.

<The Japanese illustrators who illustrated Takejiro's "chirimen-bon">
 Until around 1885 (Meiji 18), when the first "chirimen-bon" was published, Japanese painting was still dominated by the schools of the Edo era, and their tradition-steeped brushwork further enhanced the value of the books. Many of the stories in Japanese Fairy Tale Series, the first of the "chirimen-bon" series, were illustrated by Eitaku Kobayashi, who elevated the very status of illustrators for "chirimen-bon" as highly artistic literary publications. He was followed by Yoshimune (Shujiro) Arai, the last son of Yoshimune Utagawa; Kason (Sotaro) Suzuki, who later became famous for his pictures of birds, flowers, and landscapes; Shoso (Yunosuke) Mishima, who made his name by producing illustrations for newspapers and magazines; Sadahiko (Sadajiro) Eda, Gyokusho Kawabata and Hanko (Teitaro/Teijiro) Kajita, one of Japan’s foremost painters in the Meiji period. Their works were included in Higashi no Kuni kara no Shi no Aisatsu which contained works of a number of illustrators and was published in 1894 (Meiji 27). At the end of the English version, which is entitled Poetical Greetings from the Far East, is a glossary of the illustrators.

<Takejiro's partners in his overseas sales network>
 It is not certain whether or not Takejiro had booksales outside Japan in mind right from the start of his publication activities. His books came to acquire recognition for their cultural value in other countries after some foreign residents took copies with them on their return voyages. In time, he concluded a sales contract with the firm Kelly & Walsh, which had an office in Yokohama and was headquartered in Shanghai. This contract enabled use of Kelly & Walsh's network for sales in other countries. Takejiro also formed sales partnerships with Amelang (a German firm in Leipzig) and Griffith Farran in London for promotion of sales in the West. The names of these firms are noted in the colophons of many "chirimen-bon" which attests to their international popularity.

<Other "chirimen-bon" publishers>
 As Hasegawa Kobunsha found favor with its series, some publishers followed its lead and came out with "chirimen-bon" series of their own. These are best exemplified by the series of Japanese folk tales published by Yachizo Matsumuro with English translations by Hiroyuki Hayashi. Not much is known about the publishing house involved. Only the cover was printed in color, and there were very few illustrations. The books did not credit the illustrator, and are regarded as having a low artistic value. In each case, the text is long and appears to be an English translation of the stories in the folktales retold in Japanese by Sazanami Iwaya and published by Hakubunkan in 1894 (Meiji 27). As compared to those by foreign nationals in the Hasegawa Kobunsha books, the translations follow the traditional plots and are faithful to the originals, but the sentences tend to be stiff and awkward, and contain many misspellings.
 Aside from Yachizo Matsumuro, some other publishers are known to have published "chirimen-bon", but they are few in number.
   
   
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