The thirteenth edition of the
Mitsubishi Corporation Summer School in Early Modern Japanese Palaeography
University of Cambridge
Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Department of East Asian Studies
Please note that slight changes could be made to the programme
before the start of or during the Summer School depending on a number of factors
All classes are held in room 8-9 at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Faculty of Asian and
Middle Eastern Studies
Sidgwick Avenue
Cambridge
CB3 9DA
Image created by Kataoka Natsuha from 吉原青楼年中行事 (1804).
Original held at the National Diet Library, shelf mark 寄別5-5-3-13
DOI: https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1287034
In blue are hyperlinks to the 国書データベース or other database that contain basic bibliographic information about the titles.
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All materials will be available in digital format at the beginning of the summer school.
There is great merit in this, as you can enlarge images. It is also good for the environment.
Make sure to come to class with a laptop or a tablet.
You are not required to do any preparation on the texts before each session.
All the sessions are designed for you to work in class.
As a rule, we will not provide any print-out. If you need print-outs, please contact me by 15 July 2026: lm571@cam.ac.uk.
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Unless otherwise requested, please prepare a diplomatic transcription and a translation.
Monday 3 August 2024
Step into Shin-Yoshiwara
8.30-8.55 Registration
Please come to the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, reception.
Link to Google maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/g8DHmYjbUSFu5qRA9
9.00-9.30 Introductory remarks
9.30-10.30 (individual work and check of participants’ level)
Welcome to hell: excerpt from 九替十年色地獄 (1791)
Original held at the Osaka University Library and National Diet Library
10.45-12.15 (consolidation)
Let’s consolidate: how to produce publishable diplomatic and semi-diplomatic transcriptions (respectively honkoku 翻刻 and kōtei 校訂).
14.00-15.30 (pair work)
Shin Yoshiwara as part of the Edo cityscape: from 江戸名所図会 (1834-1836)
Originals held at the National Diet Library
15.45-17.15 (pair work – continuation of previous passage)
Shin Yoshiwara as part of the Edo cityscape: from 江戸名所図会 (1834-1836)
Originals held at the National Diet Library
Tuesday 4 August 2025
Sold to Yoshiwara
9.00-10.30 (interactive lecture)
Introducing Kusa: a new digital platform for working on early modern texts developed by Prof Hashimoto Yuta (National Museum of Japanese Literature).
Let’s use the platform to work on the following text:
You have been sold: excerpt from 九替十年色地獄 (1791)
Original held at the National Diet Library
You are required to prepare both diplomatic and semi-diplomatic transcription.
10.45-12.15 (group work)
Continuation from the previous session
14.00-15.30 (individual/pair work)
Learning the ropes: excerpts from 遊女大学 (1807)
Original held in private collection (Cambridge)
Group 1: not just a pretty face
Group 2: can I sleep?
Group 3: parting in the morning
15.45-17.15 (individual/pair work)
From kamuro to shinzō: excerpt from 古今吉原大全 (1786)
Original held at the Tokyo University Library
Passage 1: discover when a kamuro turns into shinzō
Passage 2: discover what is in place to celebrate this passage
Passage 3: discover about tsukidashi
Passage 4: discover about yakko
Advanced students: transcribe the whole passage.
Wednesday 5 August 2025
Buying and selling
9.00-10.30 (individual/pair work)
Here comes the ideal customer: excerpt from 吉原大通会 (1784)
Original held at the National Diet Library
You are required to prepare both diplomatic and semi-diplomatic transcription
You are requested to use OCR tools and to reflect on both the strengths and the limitations.
To go deeper:
Not much fun: the 初会 from the point of view of the girls; excerpt from 九替十年色地獄 (1791)
Original held at the National Diet Library
You are required to prepare both diplomatic and semi-diplomatic transcription
10.45-12.15 (group work)
Keeping an eye on the girls: the job of the yarite
Excerpt from 取組手鑑 (1793)
Original held at the National Diet Library
14.00-15.30 (pair/group work)
Excerpt from 客衆肝照子 (1786)
Original held at the Waseda University Library
15.45-17.15 (individual/pair work)
Meet some of the girls: passages from 吉原大全新鑑 (1665)
Original held at the National Diet Library
Thursday 6 August 2025
Love letters and pledges
9.00-10.30 (interactive lecture)
Letters can lead to sex: from 文しなん (18th century)
Original held in private collection (Cambridge)
10.45-12.15 (pair work)
Write your pledge: from 文のゆきかひ (19th century)
Original held in private collection (Cambridge)
14.00-15.30 (group work)
From Koma to Kin: love letter or trade trick?
Original held in private collection (Cambridge)
15.45-17.15 (consolidation)
From Koma to Kin: love letter or trade trick?
Original held in private collection (Cambridge)
Friday 7 August 2025
Going to Yoshiwara
9.00-10.30 (interactive session) – sōrōbun light
Some things are simply not welcome: excerpts from 南撰要類集
Original held at the National Diet Library
10.45-12.15 (individual/pair work)
Oops! He found me out.
Group 1: excerpt from 浮世学者御伽噺 (1822)
Original held at the National Diet Library
You are required to prepare both diplomatic and semi-diplomatic transcription
Group 2: excerpt from 青楼吉原咄 (1779)
Original held at the Waseda University Library
You are required to prepare both diplomatic and semi-diplomatic transcription
14.00-15.30 (group work)
Should I spend money in the pleasure quarter? Take advice from Jippensha Ikku.
Handwritten scroll
Original held in private collection (Cambridge)
15.45-17.15
[No session as Saturday will be a very busy day!]
Saturday 8 August 2025
Workshop on shinnai bushi 新内節
In this workshop, we will discover the world of shinnai bushi, the music that was all the rage in Yoshiwara.
In the morning we will read, transcribe and translate a passage from 明烏夢泡雪 together with Prof Fukuda Yasunori (Japan’s Women University).
In the afternoon we will see the passage performed by master Okamoto Miyanosuke 岡本宮之助 and shamisen player Okamoto Toranosuke 岡本虎之助.
The workshop will start as per usual at 9.00 and will conclude around 16.00.
Sunday is free time. Enjoy!
If you want to join the shinnai bushi performance in the evening, please feel free.
Information HERE
Monday 10 August 2025
Addiction to Yoshiwara (sōrōbun heavy morning)
9.00-10.30 (interactive lecture) – sōrōbun heavy
Tempted to stay long? Excerpt from 南撰要類集
Original held at the National Diet Library
Link to Minna de honkoku (stay tuned)
10.45-12.15 (consolidation) – sōrōbun heavy
Let’s read and make sense of what you have tackled in the previous session and compare with text in 吉原大鑑 (1834)
14.00-15.30 (pair work)
Hirano is punished for her kindness: excerpt from 梅本記 (1849)
15.45-17.15 (group work)
Staying long? No problem, we are rich! Passage from 諺野々宮儲 (1784)
Original held in private collection (Cambridge)
You are required to prepare both diplomatic and semi-diplomatic transcription
Tuesday 11 August 2025
Full of rules (sōrōbun heavy)
9.00-10.30 (interactive lecture) – sōrōbun heavy
When you are ill: excerpt from 新吉原町定書 (1795)
Link to Minna de honkoku (stay tuned!)
10.45-12.15 (individual/group work) – sōrōbun heavy
Let’s continue to read the passage from the previous session
14.00-15.30 (pair/group work) – sōrōbun heavy
You can’t go out! excerpt from 新吉原町定書 (1795)
Link to Minna de honkoku (stay tuned!)
15.45-17.15 (consolidation) – sōrōbun heavy
Let’s read and make sense of what you have tackled in the morning.
Wednesday 12 August 2025
A way out: miuke 身請 and beyond
Short teaser: prostitutes and 智, from from 遊女大学 (1807) (highlighted in the image). Please read before coming to class.
Original held in private collection (Cambridge)
9.00-10.30 (interactive lecture)
Takao and her miuke: from 高尾考 (1849)
Original held at the National Diet Library
10.45-12.15 (interactive lecture)
Continuation from previous session
14.00-15.30 (group work)
A plea from Kashiku
Original held at the National Archive of Japan
15.45-17.15 (consolidation)
A plea from Kashiku
Original held at the National Archive of Japan
Thursday 13 August 2025
The Yoshiwara brand
Teaser: read the list of famous products from Yoshiwara from the Yoshiwara saiken 籬の花 (1775) (highlighted in the image). Please read before coming to class.
Original held at the Kansai University Library
9.00-10.30 (individual work)
Let’s discover brand products: excerpt from 古今吉原大全 (1786)
Originals held at the National Diet Library
10.45-12.15 (group work)
Group 1: Let’s learn about 甘露梅 from 吉原考証
Original held at the National Diet Library
Group 2: Let’s learn about 袖の梅 from 当世導通記 (1782)
Original held at the National Diet Library
14.00-15.30 (pair work)
Kabuki plays: Sukeroku and its origins in 古今吉原噺 (1780)
Original held at the Kansai University Library
You are required to prepare both diplomatic and semi-diplomatic transcription
15.45-17.15 (consolidation)
Let’s check the work on the origins of Sukeroku
Friday 14 August 2025
Playing in and with Yoshiwara
9.00-10.30 (pair work)
Let’s learn about how to make merry in Yoshiwara: selected koma from 坐敷芸歓楽双禄 (1862)
Original held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Library
10.45-12.15 (group work)
Niwaka: amateur theatre in Yoshiwara from 明月余情 (1777)
Facsimile of original held at the National Diet Library
14.00-15.30 (individual work)
Laughing with Yoshiwara: passage from 新作落咄／笑上戸 (1784)
Original held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Library
15.45-16.00 (closing remarks)
We would like to thank our Sponsors:
Japanese Early Modern Palaeography 