Kaleidoscope - Mangekyou

A toy (gangu) made by applying the principle of the kaleidoscope. It is also called "bankakyo." A rectangular glass plate is placed in a triangular shape inside a cylinder, and one end of the tube is covered with frosted glass. Many small pieces of colored paper or glass are placed in the other end, and when the tube is rotated while looking through it, the beautiful pattern of the colored glass inside moves and appears to change in various ways. Moreover, the same pattern never appears twice, hence the name. The kaleidoscope is said to have been invented by the British physicist D. Brewster (1781-1868). It is a scientific toy that applies the properties of light, and was introduced to Japan at the end of the Edo period. In "Takuchiki," translated by Takano Choei in 1850 (Kaei 3), it is referred to as "Kaleidoskafu." At the beginning of the Meiji period, it became popular under the name "Hundred Colored Glasses." Domestically produced products that imitated imported products also began to appear on the market, and an improved and advanced version of these was called a kaleidoscope. It became popular as a children's toy around 1891 and 1892 (Meiji 24 and 25), and was also called "Nishiki Megane."

[Ryosuke Saito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

カレイドスコープkaleidoscopeの原理を応用してつくった玩具(がんぐ)。「ばんかきょう」ともいう。円筒の中に長方形のガラス板を三角に組み込み、筒の一方の端をすりガラスで覆う。ほかの端に彩色した紙やガラスなどの小片を数多く入れ、筒をのぞきながら回転していくと、内部のきれいな色ガラスの模様の像の位置が動き、さまざまに変化して見える。しかも同じ模様がふたたび現れないので、この名がついた。カレイドスコープは、イギリスの物理学者ブルースターD. Brewster（1781―1868）が発明したものといわれる。光の性質を応用した科学玩具で、日本には江戸時代の末ごろ渡来した。1850年（嘉永3）高野長英が訳した『三兵答古知幾(タクチーキ)』には、「可列以度斯可布(カレイドスカフ)」と出ている。明治の初めには「百色眼鏡」の名で人気を集めた。輸入品を模した国産品も出回ってきて、これを改良、進歩させたものが万華鏡とよばれ、1891、92年（明治24、25）ごろ子供の玩具として流行、「錦(にしき)眼鏡」ともいわれた。

［斎藤良輔］

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