Akisato Ritô 秋里籬島

6 volumes (252 x 178mm.), Japanese text, woodcut illustrations throughout by Kitao Masayoshi 北尾政美 and Takehara Shunsensai 竹原春泉斎, contemporary blue decorated wrappers, the upper wrappers with an image of Mont Fuji, printed title slips, preserved in a modern blue cloth chemise, slight wear and creasing to bindings

Kerlen 1747

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

An interesting and fine copy with manuscript marginal annotations by “Sekisui, 石水", possibly the famous cartographer Nagakubo Sekisui (1717–1801) who is known to have travelled in 1767 on the Tôkaidô on the way from Edo to Nagasaki.

Unlike other guidebooks Tôkaidô meisho zue did not rely on the convention of using humorous characters to describe travel along the Tōkaidō. It offered, instead, sweeping panoramic views of landscapes, Buddhist temples, Shintô shrines and charming scenes of everyday life. These images gave the Japanese public both a visual knowledge of the topography of the Tōkaidō and a glimpse of the geographically unique aspects of everyday life around Japan. The accompanying text complemented the striking images with historical, mythological, and commercial information about each region. Many of these images then became the inspiration for Ukiyo-e artists like Hokusai and Hiroshige as they began to produce prints that focused on landscape themes. The book's influence can be seen in prints from Hiroshige's 53 stations of the Tôkaidô. Today the legend of the famous road has become part of popular culture through contemporary novels and films