Ken hitorigeiko [Manual of Hand Games] by YAMAZAKURA, Renren, & IKKEN YOSHU

Many illus., some full-page. 29 folding leaves. Small 8vo, orig. orange wrappers (rubbed), block-printed title label on upper cover, new stitching. [Japan, probably Osaka:] Preface dated 1830.<br /> First edition and rare. Complex hand games played by literary groups have a long tradition in Japan. Originally, these were Chinese drinking games, known as ken, introduced to Nagasaki in the 17th century, where they were known as hon ken or Nagasaki ken. The Japanese altered the games to suit their own tastes. They became popular in brothels - as a form of foreplay - and literary groups, well before they were played by children.<br /> The game described here is known as Osaka ken, a form of sukumi ken played in the city of Osaka, using six hand gestures, making it a far more complex game than the usual three-gesture version. The numerous woodcuts depict the hand gestures, rules of the game, strategies, and chants (still using Chinese numbers). According to Prof. Hironori Takahashi of the Osaka University of Commerce, in his article "Nihon no ken yugi" (online resource), this is the only book on Osaka ken.<br /> This game was played by wealthy and elite groups of literati in Osaka. There is a fine double-page woodcut showing a group of men, apparently in a brothel, eating, drinking, and playing Osaka ken. The artist, Toyoharu Kitagawa, depicts on each man's kimono one character of his name, with a list of their pen names displayed in the upper left-hand corner. Several of the men are sitting beneath an elaborate canopy playing the game. The legend on the canopy suggests they are in the Kansai region and members of the Yamazakura group of literati.<br /> Fine fresh copy.