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Paper short abstract:

This paper examines the subtle yet humorous perspectives of Edo townspeople towards the evaluation of the hatamoto class. Through a comparison of kibyōshi with other Edo-period sources, I aim to deepen our understanding of Edo society, culture, and the thought processes of common people.

Paper long abstract:

In this paper, I utilize kibyōshi, a popular literary genre from the Edo period, as an authentic historical source to uncover how Edo’s society viewed the world around them. In Koikawa Harumachi’s Ōmu Gaeshi Bunbu no Futamichi (1789) there are a few previously overlooked scenes. One scene of particular interest, which has not been previously explored in depth, involves a group of samurais attending a lecture but arriving late due to their busy schedules. The humorous text portrays these upper-caste samurais as uneducated, which was the intention of the writer, a highly educated but lower-status samurai. Highly educated but lower-caste samurais were also the target readers. These educated samurais considered some part of the upper-status samurais to be uneducated and ridiculed them behind closed doors. However, due to the rigid social hierarchy, they were unable to mock them openly and thus, required a literary genre like kibyōshi. It’s worth noting that this type of humor was not intended to be satirical, but rather a lighthearted jest that could only be comprehended by those with sufficient education. Additionally, the illustration depicts a temple where the lecture takes place and individuals from various social classes. To summarize, this discovery offers a unique perspective on the samurais of Edo that was previously unknown. We can differentiate the thought patterns on education between the upper-class and lower-class samurais, and through analyzing the illustrations, we can also gain insight into the lifestyle of the townspeople. In addition to this, I will also explore scenes that highlight fashion trends, and compare them with other kibyōshi and historical sources.

The significance of these scenes is heightened by their occurrence during the first years of the Kansei Reforms. Contrary to previous research that suggested the people of Edo were critical of Matsudaira Sadanobu, the political leader behind the reforms, sources indicate that they were generally accepting and tried to adapt to the new lifestyle. However, they did criticize upper-class samurais who failed to adapt to the new system. These facts provide a broader understanding of the evolving worldview and life philosophy of Edo's people, which was marked by rapid change and a sense of humour.