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Kaichū Hoshi Tokei ["Pocket-Sized Clock of the Stars"]
Senshūkan Shujin [created by].
[Japan]: Marita Genryōdō, Kaei 5 [1852].
A chart of the "Twenty-Eight Mansions" of Chinese astronomy (loosely equivalent to the zodiacal constellations of Western astronomy), with text describing the locations of five mansions for each of the 24 divisions of the solar year. The postscript states that if the reader remembers the placements and configurations of the 28 mansions they will be able to tell the time at night and determine directions without error even if they are in China or India. Although the text states that the chart was created in Bunsei 10 (1827), no pre-Kaei 5 (1852) copies were traced in Japanese collections; the original chart may have been handwritten in 1827 and first printed in 1852.
One fold-out (oritatami) sheet, woodblock-printed on both sides. Light wear and creases. 14 x 7 cm when folded; 27.9 x 40.3 cm when fully opened.