Kyōiku gakei moji-e (Character-picture shapes for education)

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Kyōiku gakei moji-e ["Character-picture shapes for education"]

Utagawa, Kunitoshi, [Katsushika, Hokusai?] [illustrated by].

Shitaya, [Tōkyō]: Yamazaki Gyōzaburō, Kokkadō, Meiji 25 [1892].

A book of moji-e ("character-picture") amusements for children. Moji-e are illustrations that feature Japanese characters (typically hiragana) 'hidden' in the lines that make up the illustration. Often the hidden characters will spell out the name of the object pictured. One of the "character-pictures" in this work, for example, features a rabbit illustrated using the strokes of the hiragana characters for usagi (rabbit). Moji-e thus tread a fascinating and fine line between calligraphy and illustration. Illustrated riddles (seemingly unrelated to the moji-e and titled Kangaemono) are featured in the upper panel of each leaf of this book, with answers in the back. The subtitle of the engrossing work is Kangaemono atsume ("Collection of ideas"). The illustrator, Kunitoshi (1847-1899), attributes the last moji-e illustration in the volume to Hokusai.

One four-hole-bound (yotsumetoji) volume, complete, on double leaves, traditional East Asian binding style (fukurotoji). Original upper wrapper bound in contemporary outer wrappers. Inscriptions and discolouration to both wrappers. Soiling and chips to inner wrappers. Losses to outer corners of all wrappers and leaves. Stains to leaf edges. Thumbing, occasional ink marks, and notes internally. Some fukurotoji leaves split. 16 pages. 16.5 x 11.2 cm. 

Kyōiku gakei moji-e (Character-picture shapes for education)
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