Jippensha Ikku - Jippensha Ikku

He was an author of joke books, yellow-covered novels, humorous books, and collected volumes from the late Edo period. His real name was Shigeta Sadakazu, and he was commonly known as Yoshichi. Jippensha comes from the Japanese proverb "togaeshi" (10 turns) in the art of incense burning, and Ichikyu comes from his childhood name Ichikyu. He was also known by the names Suisai, Jippensha, and Jippensai. The details of his early life are not known, but he was born in Sunpu as the son of a samurai family, and served a certain feudal lord's family, but soon became a ronin, and at around the age of 23, he is said to have served the magistrate Odagiri Tosa-no-kami in Osaka, but he apparently left this service shortly after. In 1789 (Kansei 1), under the pen name of Chikamatsu Yoshichi, he collaborated with Wakatake Fuemi and Namiki Senryu on the joruri "Kinoshita Kagehazama Gassen," which was published in Edo in 1794. The following year, he published three works, including the yellow-covered "Shingaku Tokeigusa," and thereafter published nearly 20 yellow-covered works every year. In the Kyowa period (1801-04), he also wrote humorous stories, and in 1802 (Kyowa 2), he published the first volume of his comic book "Tokaido Chu Hizakurige." This work was enthusiastically welcomed by readers, and sequel after sequel was published over a period of 21 years until it was completed in 1822 (Bunsei 5). During this time, as he gained popularity as the author of "Douchu Hizakurige," he also branched out into all genres, including readings, human interest stories, storybooks, and humorous stories, and published as many as 360 works, including yellow-covered and multi-volume works. He was the most prolific author of the Edo period. This was due to his attitude as a popular author, who tried to faithfully respond to the tastes of his readers, and at the same time, he also wanted to make a living by writing. In fact, Ikku made a living from royalties for his manuscripts in the latter half of his life, and to this end, in addition to his comic works, he published many popular textbooks for the common people, such as orai anbunrui, and also edited and published manuscripts by amateur authors at the request of bookshops, lending his name to them. He was the greatest popular author of the late Edo period. He died on August 7, 1830. His grave is at Toyoin Temple in Chuo Ward, Tokyo.

[Goya Jinbo]

“Osamu Matsuda, “Jukaensha Ikku – Tokaidochu Hizakurige” (1973, Tankosha)”

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸後期の洒落本(しゃれぼん)、黄表紙(きびょうし)、滑稽本(こっけいぼん)、合巻(ごうかん)作者。本名重田貞一(しげたさだかず)、通称与七。十返舎は香道の十返(とがえ)しにちなみ、一九は幼名市九による。酔斎、十偏舎、十偏斎などとも号す。前半生の伝記は詳しくわからないが、駿府(すんぷ)で武家の子として生まれ、ある大名の家に仕えたがまもなく浪人し、23歳ごろ大坂で町奉行(まちぶぎょう)小田切土佐守(おだぎりとさのかみ)に仕えたというが、これもまもなく致仕したらしい。1789年（寛政1）近松余七の筆名で浄瑠璃(じょうるり)『木下蔭狭間合戦(きのしたかげはざまがっせん)』を若竹笛躬(ふえみ)、並木千柳と合作するが、94年江戸に出、翌年黄表紙『心学時計草(とけいぐさ)』以下3種を発表し、以後毎年20種近くの黄表紙を発表している。享和(きょうわ)（1801～04）に入っては洒落本も執筆するが、1802年（享和2）滑稽本『東海道中膝栗毛(ひざくりげ)』初編を出版した。読者の熱狂的歓迎を受けたこの作品は、22年（文政5）に完結するまで、21年間にわたって続編に続編を重ねて出版され続けた。この間、『道中膝栗毛』の作者として人気の高まるとともに、読本(よみほん)、人情本、咄本(はなしぼん)、滑稽本とあらゆるジャンルに筆を染め、黄表紙、合巻だけでも360種に達する作品を発表した、江戸時代の作家としては最大の多作家であった。読者の好尚に忠実にこたえようとした大衆作家としての姿勢からであり、同時に生活を筆で維持するためでもあった。事実、一九はその後半生を原稿料だけで生活をたて、そのためには戯作(げさく)以外にも、通俗的な庶民教科書としての往来案文類などを多数出版するとともに、また書肆(しょし)の依頼によっては素人(しろうと)作者の原稿を編集して出版し、名前を貸すなどしている。江戸後期の最大の大衆作家であった。天保(てんぽう)2年8月7日没。墓は東京都中央区の東陽院にある。

［神保五彌］

『松田修著『十返舎一九――東海道中膝栗毛』（1973・淡交社）』

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