Enjoyable for everyone from elementary school students to adults!
The story of an indefatigable producer from Edo, Tsutaya Juzaburo, who cherished human connections and pursued dreams, is depicted in this manga.
**Features of this Book**
1. Vivid characters and storyline!
A dramatic life unfolds in a dynamic manga, portraying many ukiyo-e artists and writers he discovered, such as Sharaku, Utamaro, and Bakin, as colorful and unique characters.
2. Enjoyable for elementary school students! Furigana throughout!
The entire book includes furigana. Difficult words are accompanied by footnotes, making it fun to read for elementary school students.
3. Rich resources like character correlation diagrams and columns offer insights into Edo culture!
The book includes a timeline at the end, column pages, and other abundant resources to understand Edo culture. Additionally, the “Trivia” section in the page margins provides deep knowledge about the artists and ukiyo-e masters featured in the story, as well as trivia about Edo culture.
**Contents**
Chapter 1: Lending Library of Edo Yoshiwara
Chapter 2: The Man Who Created Kibyoshi
Chapter 3: Tsutakaramaru and Kitagawa Utamaro
Chapter 4: The Kansei Reforms and the Playwrights
Chapter 5: The Mysterious Artist Sharaku
Column: How a Book is Made / What is a Publisher? / Edo Literature / Edo Kyoka
Appendix: Who is Tsutaya Juzaburo? / Tsutaya Juzaburo Timeline, etc.
**Introduction to the Work**
About 150 years after the Edo period began, in the mid-18th century, vibrant townspeople’s culture blossomed.
In an era when many common people began to enjoy books, the protagonist of this work, Tsutaya Juzaburo, emerged, making successive hits with ukiyo-e and books.
The successful writers he produced, including Utamaro, Sharaku, Hokusai, Bakin, and Jippensha Ikku, were countless.
He read the trends of the time, using his innate creativity and sincerity to connect people and stir up the Edo publishing world.
The period in which Juzaburo thrived was a glamorous era but also faced challenges familiar to modern times, such as natural disasters, rising prices, distrust of the shogunate, and societal stagnation.
Juzaburo himself faced difficulties due to publishing controls.
However, by valuing human connections and pursuing his dreams without succumbing to adversity, Tsutaya Juzaburo’s way of life shaped culture and inspires children living in today’s world.
