Hakubunkan

A publishing company founded by Ohashi Sahei (1835-1901) in 1887 (Meiji 20). In the Meiji period alone, the company launched over 60 magazines, including its inaugural magazine, Nihon Daika Ronshu (Collection of Japanese Masters), which became a bestseller, as well as the general magazine Taiyo (Taiyo) edited by Takayama Chogyu, Literary Club (Club), whose main contributors were members of the Kenyusha school, including Ozaki Koyo, Kawakami Bizan, Ohashi Otowa, and Hirotsu Ryuro, and Shonen Sekai (Boys' World) edited by children's story writer Iwaya Sazanami. Compared to the political and educational magazines that had been published up until that point, the company's popular commercial magazines succeeded in expanding its readership and selling large quantities of its magazines. The publishing of series led to the succession of all kinds of periodicals that can be considered the prototypes of today's complete collection series, such as the "Imperial Library," "Imperial Encyclopedia," "Encyclopedia of Education," "Encyclopedia of Industry," and "Encyclopedia of Agriculture." By the time the company went out of business in 1947 (Showa 22), the company had published approximately 3,000 books in the form of academic, educational, and practical books, covering fields such as politics, law, economics, science and technology, medicine, languages, and literature, ushering in the Hakubunkan era in the modern publishing world. The second owner, Ohashi Shintaro, took control of various departments including printing (Hakubunkan Printing Works, now Kyodo Printing Co., Ltd.), a Western paper store, distribution sales and an advertising agency, and succeeded in streamlining the publishing industry, but while he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1902 (Meiji 35), he also entered the political and business world, serving as representative of over 20 companies including Tokyo Gas, and with the rise of other emerging publishers from the Taisho to the early Showa periods, the publishing empire that once dominated the world gradually went into decline. Currently, only Hakubunkan Shinsha, which publishes "Hakubunkan Nikki" and other publications, and Hakuyusha, a subsidiary publisher of agricultural books and other publications, remain.

[Hisao Okubo]

"The 50-Year History of Hakubunkan, edited by Tsuboya Zenshiro (1937, Hakubunkan)" ▽ "The Life of Ohashi Sahei, edited by Tsuboya Zenshiro, reprint edition (1974, Kurita Publishing Co.)" ▽ "The Life of Ohashi Shintaro, written by Tsuboya Zenshiro (1985, Hakubunkan Shinsha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1887年（明治20）大橋佐平（1835―1901）が創業した出版社。ベストセラーとなった創刊雑誌『日本大家論集』をはじめ、高山樗牛(ちょぎゅう)の編集による総合雑誌『太陽』や、尾崎紅葉、川上眉山(びざん)、大橋乙羽(おとわ)、広津柳浪(りゅうろう)ら硯友社(けんゆうしゃ)一派をおもな寄稿家とした『文芸倶楽部(くらぶ)』、童話作家巌谷小波(いわやさざなみ)の編集による『少年世界』など、明治期だけで60余種の雑誌を創刊。それまでの政論新聞や啓蒙(けいもう)的な雑誌に対して、大衆的な商業雑誌として読者の拡大と大量販売に成功した。叢書(そうしょ)の出版は、「帝国文庫」「帝国百科全書」「教育全書」「工業全書」「農業全書」など、今日の全集シリーズ本の原型といえるあらゆる種類の逐次刊行物を次々と発行した。単行本は、政治、法律、経済、理工学、医学、語学、文学などの分野にわたり、学術書、啓蒙書、実用書などの形式で、1947年（昭和22）の廃業までに約3000点を発行、近代出版界において博文館時代を築いた。2代目館主大橋新太郎は、印刷（博文館印刷所。現共同印刷株式会社）をはじめ洋紙店、取次販売業、広告代理店の諸部門を掌握し、出版企業の合理化に成功したが、1902年（明治35）に衆議院議員に当選する一方、東京瓦斯(ガス)をはじめ20余の会社法人の代表を務めるなど政財界への進出と、大正から昭和の初頭にかけて他新興出版社の台頭もあって、一世を風靡(ふうび)した出版王国もしだいに退潮していった。現在は『博文館日記』などを発行している博文館新社と、農業関係書などを発行している傍系の博友社が残っている。

［大久保久雄］

『坪谷善四郎編『博文館五十年史』（1937・博文館）』▽『坪谷善四郎編『大橋佐平翁伝』復刻版（1974・栗田出版会）』▽『坪谷善四郎著『大橋新太郎伝』（1985・博文館新社）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例