An illustrated handbook of Western fruit trees published in the Meiji period (1868-1912), with an interesting section on the grapes and winemaking.
The present book marks a great time of change in modern Japanese history, when increased interactions with the West brought about an influx of new ideas and technology. One such area was agriculture and the cultivation of foreign crops. Handbooks such as these carefully illustrated the varieties of fruit trees that could be cultivated in Japan, and the challenges that came with it.
The publisher, Maeda Masana (1850-1921) played an important role in this development. Born to a noble family, Maeda studied foreign languages in Nagasaki and was one of the first Japanese students to be sent to Europe to study in 1869. After a formative period in France, Maeda returned to Japan and set his sights on boosting local industry. He held various prestigious positions in government and in 1890 he served as Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Commerce. In this role, he conducted extensive research into agricultural practices across Japan. Concurrently, agricultural studies and pomology were growing areas of academia, and in the 1870s the Koishikawa Botanical Garden became part of Tokyo Imperial University, allowing for increased botanical research.
The section on grapes explains how grape vines at Banshu Winery in Hyogo had come from a breeding station in Mita, Tokyo. Banshu at this point was quite an experimental site, where Japanese farmers and investors tried to successfully make wine. Ultimately, it was a short-lived project and the winery closed after 16 years (though the original site is now a protected landmark with a museum). When the present book was published, it was still unclear which variety of grape would grow most successfully in Japan. The chapter on grapes introduces 100 varieties, itemised with their name in English and a brief sentence on their qualities.
A early owner has made a curious drawing of a map under the front end paper where it has come loose. It is a rather philosophical map, showing the ‘difficult path of life’ and the zone of ‘wealth and honours’ among other such hypothetical places.
Very rare. 1 copy in OCLC (NDL Tokyo).
