Koya version - Koyaban

These are Buddhist scriptures published at Mount Koya in Kii from the mid-Kamakura period onwards. They mainly relate to esoteric Buddhism, but there are also some unusual works such as "Shiddammajiki", "Shomyoshu" and "Illustrated Guide to the Life of Koyasan Daishi". They began to be published under the influence of the publication of sutras at temples in Nara and Kyoto. The oldest surviving Koya edition is "Sango Shiiki" published by Kaiken in 1253 (Kencho 5). Kaiken, Adachi Yasumori (Akita Jonosuke) and Keiken are known as publishers, and Kongo Sammaiin was the centre of publishing. It was most popular in the mid-Kamakura period, when the plates were written by Shingei, Nokai and other calligraphers, the paper was of high quality, the ink was jet black, and many were finely engraved, but from around the time of the Northern and Southern Courts, Koya paper began to be used for the paper. Koya editions are characterized by printing on both the front and back and a slightly vertically long butterfly binding (deccho binding). It is noteworthy that in the early modern period, from the Keicho era (1596-1615) to the Shoho era (1644-48), printing with movable type was popular, and Koya editions are also important as a type of ancient movable type printing. Four Kamakura period catalogues of published books still exist, which provide information about the circumstances surrounding the publication of books.

[Kazumasa Kaneko]

“Takano Itano Kenkyu by Takaei Mizuhara (1932, self-published)” ▽ “History of Japanese Old Printing Culture” by Yasuhiko Kimiya (1965, Toyamabo)”

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎌倉時代中期以降、紀伊高野山で出版された仏典類。密教関係の書を主とするが、『悉曇字紀(しったんじき)』『声明(しょうみょう)集』『高野大師行状図画(こうやだいしぎょうじょうずえ)』など特殊なものもある。奈良・京都諸寺における刊経の影響を受けて始まった。現存最古の高野版は1253年（建長5）快賢刊『三教指帰(さんごうしいき)』である。開版者としては快賢、安達泰盛(あだちやすもり)（秋田城介(じょうのすけ)）、慶賢らが知られ、金剛三昧院(こんごうさんまいいん)が出版の中心であった。もっとも盛んに行われたのは鎌倉時代中期で、版下を信芸、能海その他能書家が書き、料紙も良質、墨色も漆黒で、精刻のものが少なくないが、南北朝ごろからは料紙に高野紙を用いるようになった。表と裏両面に印刷、やや縦長の胡蝶(こちょう)装（粘葉(でっちょう)装）というのが高野版の特色。注目すべきは、近世初期、慶長(けいちょう)（1596～1615）から正保(しょうほう)（1644～48）にかけて活字による印刷が盛行したことで、古活字版の一種としても高野版は重要である。鎌倉時代開版書目4種が現存、これによって開版事情を知ることができる。

［金子和正］

『水原堯栄著『高野板之研究』（1932・自刊）』▽『木宮泰彦著『日本古印刷文化史』（1965・冨山房）』

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