The Story of Kintoki translated by Joseph King Goodrich and Tsune Oka
[Japan] The Story of Kintoki is one of the scarcest Japanese fairy tales published in Osaka. Goodrich (1850-1921) taught English in Osaka from around 1886 until 1888 when he joined a company in Kobe but the following year moved to Yokohama where he lived and worked until 1893 when he left Japan. His first wife died in 1896, he remarried in 1897 and he returned to Japan in 1898 where he was employed as an interpreter at the US Consulate in Nagasaki. In 1900 he was teaching English in Kyoto and was still listed working there in the Japan Directory for 1908. He died in the US in 1921. The cover of the book also lists Tsune oka [sic] (two words) as a co-translator and it is tempting to think this was a female's name (i.e. given name 'Tsune' and family name 'Oka') but the Japanese colophon states the name is actually Tsuneoka Kennosuke (a male name). The artist was Nanbara Keisho. The colophon at rear also lists the subsequent books in this obscure series, namely: '2. A Short Story of Yoshitsune', '3. Deaf as a Post', and '4. Curious Logic', but we believe these were never published. This is only the second time in 20 years that we have had a copy of The Story of Kintoki. It would seem this was a direct attempt by Osaka to compete with Kobunsha/Hasegawa's plain paper books that first appeared in 1885 in Tokyo.
Osaka. Nisseikwan [Nisseikan]. 1887. Printed by Seto Seijiro [or Kiyojiro].
15 leaves. 17.4 x 12.4cm
In good condition. Covers with some wear and minor creasing. Corners slightly curled. Internally very good with only a few very minor marks. b38032027
