Koeki Yokohama Benran One of the earliest Yokohama directory and phrase books
[Japan] Fascinating work that uses non-standard characters for the word Yokohama. Only one copy is held at Kobe University and even the National Diet Library appears to only have a digitalised copy. Like the Kobe University book, no publisher or date is listed, however our copy is signed at the rear by a previous owner named Uchida Kuichiro (he also wrote the name Yoshimitsu/Ryoko which may have been another name he used) and fortunately he wrote the date of 1861. This indicates that the book predates the earliest known directories that were published from 1863. The preface is signed, 'Shinkoan Arushi', which is presumably a pseudonym for the writer. The booklet begins with the names of stores and business in each street (from 1-chome to 5-chome) and then a section including names such as Oiya, Iseya, Ishikawaya, Murataya, Kanekoya and so on. Then what seems to be a list of given names of Japanese residents such as Heijiro, Masashichi, Yohei, Chohachi etc. Most Japanese people did not have family names until after the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Then what appears to be tolls in the currency 'mon' for going to different places. Importantly, there is a list of the foreigners living in Yokohama at the time including (those that we can decipher): Hall, Van Reed, Freeman, Talbot, Schoyer, Benson, Hegt, Simmons, Hikoso [presumably Joseph Heco], Baker, Loureiro, Macpherson, Elmstone, Martin, Kemptner, Gutschow, Lederman, Bellecourt, Batteke, and Schnell. Then we have a small section of vocabulary in Japanese and Dutch. After that there is information about financial institutions, distances to other cities and lastly a list of tides.
No place. No publisher. No date [1861 or possibly late 1860].
7 leaves. 7.6 x 17cm.
In good to very good condition. Covers worn and marked along with minor damage to rear cover. Title slip partially gone. Old stain on last leaf and inside back cover. Old writing on rear cover. Internally very good with no worm damage. b37011785
