Gesshin Saito

A writer from the late Edo Restoration period. Commonly known as Ichizaemon and Yukinari, his childhood name was Etsusaburo. His pen names were Shotoken, Tekiso, and Hakuundo. He was the fourth son of Yukitaka. The Saito family was the descendant of Saito Tatsumoto, the lord of Mino (Gifu Prefecture), and for generations they ruled over six towns as headmen of Kijicho, Kanda, Edo, and also supervised the Kanda vegetable market and were in charge of vegetable tributes. Following the wishes of his grandfather Yukio and father Yukitaka, he revised the manuscript "Edo Meisho Zue" and published the first 10 volumes of the 20-volume set in January 1834 (Tenpo 5). The second 10 volumes were published in January 1836. The paintings were by Hasegawa Settan and Settei. The great work that had been painstakingly undertaken by three generations of the Saito family was truly accomplished by Gesshin. Other works he wrote include the 5-volume "Toto Saijiki," the 6-volume "Seikyoku Ruisan," and the 12-volume "Takee Nenpyo." He died on March 6, 1878, at the age of 75. He is buried at Hozenji Temple in Asakusa.

[Renko Mizue]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末維新期の文人。通称市左衛門、幸成(ゆきなり)、幼名を鉞三郎(えつさぶろう)という。号は松濤軒(しょうとうけん)、翟巣(てきそう)、白雲堂。幸孝(ゆきたか)の四男。斎藤家は美濃(みの)（岐阜県）国主斎藤龍基(たつもと)の子孫で、代々江戸・神田雉子(きじ)町の名主として6か町を支配、また神田青物市場を監督して野菜の上納をつかさどった。祖父幸雄(ゆきお)、父幸孝(ゆきたか)の遺志を継いで稿本『江戸名所図会』を補正し、1834年（天保5）正月、全20巻のうち前編10冊を刊行。36年正月に後編10冊を出版した。画(え)は長谷川雪旦(せったん)、雪堤(せってい)。実に斎藤家3代の刻苦鏤骨(るこつ)の大業が、月岑によって達成されたのであった。その他の著書に『東都歳事記』5巻、『声曲類纂(せいきょくるいさん)』6巻、『武江年表』12巻など。明治11年3月6日没、享年75。墓所は浅草法善寺。

［水江漣子］

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