"Strange Tales from a Foreign Land" - Ikokukidan Wasobe

...In the Meiwa period (1764-72), dangihon (discussion books) that looked for and exposed the “holes” in society, such as “Towazgatari (Towazgatari),” “Towaanasagashi (Towaanasagashi),” “Kodan Ukiyobukuro (Kodan Ukiyobukuro),” and “Towaanabanashi (Towaanabanashi),” became popular, and these were strongly influenced by Koa and Gennai. This trend continued to grow even in the An’ei period (1772-81), and Yugakushi’s “Ikokukidan Wasobei (Ikokukidan),” published in 1774, was well received as a satirical travel novel in which Wasobei traveled around the country of Jizai, Kyokaku, Kokoku, and Jibōkoku. In addition, ikidangi (style of dangi), a type of dangi book, was popular throughout the Horeki, Meiwa, An’ei, and Tenmei periods, starting with “Towazgai (Towazgai) Dangi” published in 1754 (4th year of the Horeki period). ...

*Some of the terminology used in "Ikoku Kitan Wasobei" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…明和期(1764‐72)に入ると，《当世不問語（とわずがたり）》《当世穴鑿穿（あなさがし）》《興談浮世袋》《当世穴噺》といった世間の“穴”をさがしこれを暴露する談義本が流行したが，これらには好阿･源内の影響が強く見られる。この傾向は安永期(1772‐81)に入っても，ますますさかんになってゆくが，1774年に出た遊谷子《異国奇談和荘兵衛》は，《風流志道軒伝》の影響下に出たとはいえ，和荘兵衛が自在国，矯飾国，好古国，自暴国などを巡る風刺的遍歴小説として好評であった。また談義本の一系統である粋（いき）談義も，1754年(宝暦4)刊の《当世花街（くるわ）談義》以来，宝暦･明和･安永･天明を通じて流行した。…

※「《異国奇談和荘兵衛》」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報