Books

Many woodcut illustrations, some full-page & double-page. Ten columns per page; 20 characters per column. Eight vols. 8vo, orig. blue (now partly faded to pale green) patterned wrappers, orig. block-printed title labels on upper covers, new stitching. Japan: Prefaces dated 1786; title-page with the date "1854." A privately printed edition of this famous text and an extremely rare example of a mokkatsujiban (a movable wooden type Japanese book printed after 1653; for a fascinating discussion, see Kornicki, The Book in Japan, pp. 159-63). Hayashi (1738-93), was a Japanese scholar and a specialist in military affairs. In 1777, he travelled to Nagasaki, where he was greatly impressed by the size and strength of the Dutch ships. While there, he also learned of the Russian intentions to advance south from Siberia into Asia. This prompted him to go to the northernmost island of Hokkaido to study the situation. As a result of this journey, he became alarmed at the weakness of Japan's coastal defenses and ignorance of the outside world. In 1787, Hayashi began to privately issue, in a series of 16 volumes (only 38 sets were produced), his famous and controversial Kaikoku heidan, which recommended stronger military forces and a maritime defense capability. Hayashi had money problems and took until 1791 to publish all the volumes. His series is a remarkable example of a study on modern strategy, introducing the military sciences of the West to Japan. Hayashi describes the powerful weaponry of the Western powers and openly criticizes the shogunate for its ignorance of the rest of the world and reliance upon an isolationist policy while neglecting maritime defenses. Kaikoku heidan caused a sensation and was banned by the government in 1792, on the grounds that national security matters were being discussed without official consent. Almost all copies and the woodblocks were confiscated (apparently, only the Library of Congress copy survives, acquired in 1949). Hayashi was placed under house arrest in 1792 and died the following year. In his last years, he used the pen name "Rokumusai," meaning "Six Losses," enumerated as: "no parents, no wife, no children, no woodblocks, no money, and no desire to die." Immediately after Kaikoku heidan became a forbidden book, manuscript copies were made from Hayashi's retained original manuscript and circulated. Hayashi and his fears were soon vindicated: in September 1792, a Russian mission arrived in Hokkaido to press Japan to commence trade. As a result, Hayashi's controversial views continued to receive serious attention and discussion for many years. By the early 1850s, the Japanese government had received a number of unwanted foreign missions demanding that the country end its policy of seclusion and open its doors to commerce. The interest in Hayashi's Kaikoku heidan was revived, and in 1851 or shortly thereafter, a 10-volume edition was privately printed using movable type (11 columns per page and 21 characters per column). Demand further increased following Commodore Perry's first visit, and another movable-type edition (our edition) was issued in 1854, now reset with 10 columns per page, 20 characters per column, and printed in eight volumes. Our edition is very rare, with no copy listed in WorldCat. In 1856, three years after Perry's first appearance, a commercial woodblock-printed edition of Kaikoku heidan was issued. The choice of employing movable type instead of woodblocks for our edition was deliberate: the print run was intended to be limited because of the controversial text, issued sub rosa and not for commercial distribution. Books printed in movable type were less subject to government censorship and typically did not carry a colophon (our example does not have one), which was required for commercial block-printed books (again, see Kornicki, cited above). The greater fragility of wooden type precluded running off large numbers of copies. While some of the woodcuts depict Western cannons and equipment.

"Kaikoku Heidan" (The Military Defence of a Maritime Nation) is a pivotal work by Shihei Hayashi, a Japanese scholar and strategist of the late 18th century. Written in 1786, this essay not only reflects the strategic and defensive concerns of Japan during the Edo period but also stands as a prescient analysis that foreshadowed the modernization and militarization of Japan leading up to the Meiji Restoration and beyond. In this essay, I will delve into the context, content, and legacy of "Kaikoku Heidan," exploring its significance in the annals of Japanese military and political history. Shihei Hayashi (1738–1793) was a samurai, scholar, and strategist who lived during a period of relative peace and isolation under the Tokugawa shogunate. Despite—or perhaps because of—Japan's isolationist sakoku policy, Hayashi was deeply concerned with the country's vulnerability to foreign threats, particularly after witnessing the ease with which the Russian Empire expanded into East Asia. "Kaikoku Heidan" was written as a response to these concerns, advocating for a strong maritime defense to protect Japan's shores. "Kaikoku Heidan" is notable for its forward-thinking analysis and recommendations. Hayashi argued that Japan's geographical isolation would not suffice as a defense against the advanced naval capabilities of Western powers. He proposed the establishment of a robust navy and the fortification of coastal defenses, emphasizing the strategic importance of controlling sea routes and safeguarding Japan's maritime interests. Hayashi's work was groundbreaking in its recognition of the need for Japan to engage with modern military technologies and tactics, a significant departure from the traditional samurai-centric warfare of the time. Hayashi also advocated for the study of Western sciences and military techniques, suggesting that Japan could strengthen itself by incorporating foreign advancements with its own traditions. This idea was radical in an era when foreign influence was often viewed with suspicion, if not outright hostility, by the ruling shogunate. Although initially ignored and even suppressed by the Tokugawa shogunate, who saw Hayashi's ideas as a threat to their power and the social order, "Kaikoku Heidan" gained recognition in the tumultuous years leading up to the Meiji Restoration. Hayashi's vision for a maritime defense strategy and an embrace of Western military technology anticipated the transformative policies of the Meiji period, which saw Japan rapidly modernize its military and become a formidable imperial power. The influence of "Kaikoku Heidan" extended beyond its military proposals. It contributed to a growing discourse on national policy and the need for Japan to adapt to prevent colonization by Western powers. Hayashi's work is often seen as part of the intellectual groundwork for the Meiji Restoration, reflecting a broader recognition among Japanese elites of the need for reform and opening to the world.