Paper short abstract:

Hezutsu Tôsaku, (1726-1789) apparently set out to investigate conditions in Hokkaido and the Matsumae fief in 1783. This presentation probes into the way Tôsaku’s (unpublished) account Tōyūki  ( c.1784) narrates his view on the area: its landscape, history, inhabitants' culture, and local products.

Paper long abstract:

Hezutsu Tôsaku, (平秩 東作; 1726-1789), as a student of naturalist Hiraga Gennai, was deeply interested in the use and exploitation of local products. A merchant by social status and income, Tôsaku was also active in Edo literary circles and a prominent kyôka poet. Through his contacts in Edo government circles he obtained permission to visit Hokkaido under the Tanuma government. Tosaku set out to investigate conditions in Hokkaido and the Matsumae fief in 1783 where he stayed till the next year. This presentation focuses on Tôsaku’s account Tōyūki  (東遊記; c.1784). As a report it is obviously inspired on earlier gazetteers: It is a combination of a report on current local products, historical dimensions such as notes about temples and historical sites, biographies of famous historical figures, anecdotes, and archeological findings on the one hand. On the other hand it includes ample information on the social and political situation in the area, focusing on the interaction between retainers in official roles, Japanese immigrants ("wajin") and the local Ainu population. Not meant for publication apparently, Tôsaku portrays the customs and daily daily life of the Japanese residents (wajin)  among whom he lived during his sojourn. He does critique the role of especially the Matsumae retainers and to a lesser extent the merchants in the endemic corruption and the exploitation of the Ainu population, but did not visit Ainu territories and his report on Ainu is second-hand, clearly less important than the life of the new immigrants. His report is eccentric and at the same time includes many of the popular dimensions of local gazetteers. The remarkable circumstances of his visit and report, later comments by friends and colleagues, deserve closer investigation to understand the content and context of its creation.