Kenyusha - Kenyusha

In February 1885 (Meiji 18), Ozaki Koyo, Yamada Bimyo, and Ishibashi Shian, who were still students at the University Preparatory School at the time, founded this literary society. The "inkstone" (suzuri) comes from the word "writing." At first, it was merely a broad-based literary enthusiasts' group, which also included Maruoka Kyuka, who was a student at the Higher Commercial School, and in May of the same year, they launched their journal, "Garakuta Bunko." It was a small magazine that Koyo and Bimyo worked on copying and circulating, and the contents were hobby-like, publishing novels, new-style poetry, as well as crazy verse, dodoitsu, rakugo, and riddles. However, the number of members gradually increased, and in November 1886, the print edition was closed for sale, and in May 1888, it was open to public auction. From this time, the members aspired to establish a new literature, and they united to enter the literary world. Other members of the group at that time included Koyo and others mentioned above, as well as Iwaya Sazanami, Kawakami Bizan, Hirotsu Ryuro, Emi Suiin, and Ohashi Otowa, and Mitome left the group that year. Publication of "One Hundred New Works" began in 1989, and each member, including Koyo, wrote works, solidifying their foothold in the literary world and coming to be known as "the Liang Shanbo of the literary world" (Tsubouchi Shoyo).

From then on, they dominated journalism at the Yomiuri Shimbun, where Koyo had worked, as well as Hakubunkan and Shunyodo, dominating the literary world of the 1880s and 1990s. On the other hand, the members maintained strong friendships with each other, often organizing trips, literary plays, and literary talks, and frequently holding various kinds of meetings. However, from the end of the 1890s, Bizan and others became estranged, and with Konami's travels abroad and Mizukage's departure from the West, successive events occurred, and eventually, with Koyo's death in October 1903 (Meiji 36), their unity was likely to have disintegrated.

[Yasushi Oka]

"Complete Collection of Meiji Literature 22: Suzuriyusha Literature Collection" (1969, Chikumashobo)" ▽ "The Literary Movement of the Suzuriyusha, by Kiyoto Fukuda (1933, Sankaido)" ▽ "Literature of the Suzuriyusha, by Akira Ikari (1961, Hanawa Shobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1885年（明治18）2月、当時まだ大学予備門の生徒だった尾崎紅葉(こうよう)、山田美妙(びみょう)、石橋思案(しあん)らが創立した文学結社。「硯」は文筆にちなんだもの。最初は彼らのほか高等商業在学中の丸岡九華(きゅうか)らを加えた広義の文学愛好グループにすぎず、同年5月機関誌『我楽多(がらくた)文庫』を創刊したが、紅葉と美妙とが手分けして筆写回覧する小雑誌で、内容も小説、新体詩などのほか、狂句、都々逸(どどいつ)、落語、謎(なぞ)などまで掲載するような趣味的なものだった。しかし、しだいに同人が増え、86年11月から活版非売、さらに88年5月から公売となった。このころから同人は新文学の樹立を志し、結束を固めて文壇に打って出た。当時の同人には、前記紅葉らのほか、巌谷小波(いわやさざなみ)、川上眉山(びざん)、広津柳浪(りゅうろう)、江見水蔭(すいいん)、大橋乙羽(おとわ)らがあり、美妙はこの年離脱した。89年から「新著百種」の刊行が始まり、紅葉をはじめ各同人が執筆、文壇にその地歩を固め、「文壇の梁山泊(りょうざんぱく)」（坪内逍遙(しょうよう)）と目された。

　以後、紅葉の入社していた『読売新聞』をはじめ、博文館、春陽堂などのジャーナリズムを支配し、明治20～30年代の文壇を制覇した。他方、同人間の親交は厚く、しばしば旅行、文士劇、文士講談などを催し、各種会合なども頻繁に行われた。しかし、20年代末から眉山らが疎遠となり、小波の洋行、水蔭の西下などが相次ぎ、やがて1903年（明治36）10月、紅葉の死によって、その結束も解体したとみられよう。

［岡　保生］

『『明治文学全集22　硯友社文学集』（1969・筑摩書房）』▽『福田清人著『硯友社の文学運動』（1933・山海堂）』▽『伊狩章著『硯友社の文学』（1961・塙書房）』

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