Yanagibashi Shinshi - Ryukyo Shinshi

Essays written by Narushima Ryuhoku. The first volume was published in April 1874 (Meiji 7), and the second volume in February of the same year, both by Yamashiroya Masakichi. Ryuhoku himself wrote in the compilation that the first volume was a draft written in 1859 (Ansei 6) with additions made the following year (Man'en 1). However, due to Ryuhoku's busy schedule, publication was delayed, and the second volume, completed in 1871, was published two months earlier. The first and second essays are written in a light and elegant Chinese style and describe the customs of the entertainment district of Yanagibashi in Tokyo at the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the Meiji period, respectively. They show a marked influence from Terakado Seiken's Edo Hanjo-ki (1831), but the harsh satire and ridicule of the high-ranking officials from Satsuma and Choshu in the second essay demonstrates Ryuhoku's seriousness, who considered himself "useless people." Moreover, they are written in the form of a series of dialogues between the characters, giving them the appeal of a short story. All that remains of the three essays are Ryuhoku's own preface from 1876 and Yoda Gakukai's "description."

[Yasushi Oka]

"Yanagibashi Shinshi" (Iwanami Bunko) "Complete Collection of Meiji Literature 4: Narushima Ryuhoku and Other Works" (1969, Chikuma Shobo)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

成島柳北(なるしまりゅうほく)著の随筆。初編は1874年（明治7）4月、二編は同年2月、ともに山城(やましろ)屋政吉刊。初編は1859年（安政6）の稿に翌60年（万延1）追補したものと柳北自ら編中に記している。しかし柳北の多忙のため刊行は遅れ、1871年脱稿の二編のほうが2か月先に刊行された。初編は幕末、二編は明治初年の東京柳橋(やなぎばし)の花街風俗を軽妙暢達(ちょうたつ)な漢文体でつづった随筆で、寺門静軒(てらかどせいけん)の『江戸繁昌(はんじょう)記』（1831）の影響は著しいが、二編にみられる薩長(さっちょう)出身の大官らへの辛辣(しんらつ)な風刺嘲笑(ちょうしょう)は自ら「無用の人」という柳北の真面目(しんめんぼく)が発揮されている。しかも、登場人物の対話を連ねた形式で書かれ、短編小説的な興趣もある。三編は1876年の柳北自序と依田学海(よだがっかい)「叙」のみ伝存する。

［岡　保生］

『『柳橋新誌』（岩波文庫）』▽『『明治文学全集4　成島柳北他集』（1969・筑摩書房）』

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