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Buying. We are actively buying books and publications printed by the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry. If you have material to sell, please contact us. All the books below, and any others, are of interest.

Selling. If we have an item in stock, a link to the offering is provided.

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The Tsukiji Type Foundry was founded by Motoki Shozo (the Gutenberg of Japan) in the late 1860s and was initially located in Nagasaki. In 1872 the enterprise was relocated to Kanda district and shortly thereafter moved to the Tsukiji district in Tokyo and the name was changed to Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry. Under the management of Tomiji Hirano, the enterprise prospered. This business was multifaceted and included printing (including lithographic, collotype, haftone) as well as typesetting. The Foundry was a major factor in the printing industry and often credits to it are seen in newspapers, magazines, maps and books through the 1930s. The firm also produced postage stamps. The firm was a innovator in introducing movable English language type into the Japanese printing industry as well as an pioneer in establishing movable Japanese language type technology. Other typeset printing enterprises quickly began to compete with the Tsukiji Type Foundry. These included the Ministry of Finance Printing Office, Shueisha, which grew into the present-day Dai Nippon Printing Co (established 1876) and Toppan Printing Co. (established 1900) and the influence of the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry began to wane.

The company also produced color woodblock prints for some of the Takejiro Hasegawa books. The printers employed in this capacity were Nomura Sojiro and Takagi Rintaro.

To see a 1904 advertisement published by the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry in The Russo-Japanese War, Fully Illustrated, click here. The address is "No. 17, Tsukiji Nichome, Tokyo."

For a 1907 advertisement published in the Kokka, click here. The address is "17, Tsukiji Ni-chome, Tokyo."

• 1892, K. Ogawa, Kusakabe Kimbei, W. K. Burton & James Murdoch, The Hakone District, Illustrated by K. Ogawa, Photographer, in Collotype With Descriptive Text by James Murdoch, M.A., Tokyo, K. Ogawa, printed at the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry Meiji 25 (1892), folio (12 x 16 in - 30.2 x 40.5 cm), decorated card covers, spine covered with cloth, string ties, 1 map in color (chromolithograph), 17 collotype plates with a total of 26 different images. Three plates have 4 images and 14 plates have a single image. For more information on this book, click here.

• 1892, W. K. Burton and John Milne, The Great Earthquake of Japan, 1891, Yokohama, Lane, Crawford & Co., printed at the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, green cloth with gilt lettering, oblong folio (29 x 41 cm), green cloth with gilt, 30 black and white K. Ogawa collotypes and a lithographed map, plates protected tissue guards with descriptive titles, 70 pp of text. At this time W.K. Burton was an instructor at the Imperial University in Tokyo. Printed by K. Ogawa but most of the photographs were taken “by one of the authors.” A 2nd edition was published ca 1893. For more information on this book, click here.

• ca 1892, The Volcanoes of Japan, Part 1, Fujisan, by John Milne and W. K. Burton, Yokohama, Kelly & Walsh, Yokohama, Shanghai, Hongkong and Singapore, printed at the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, collotypes by K. Ogawa, horizontal large 4to (11 1/4 x 15 1/2 in - 28.8 x 39.5 cm), undated but ca 1892, no colophon, card covers, staple bound with spine left uncovered, 10 tissue guard protected black and white collotype plates, 32 pp. For more information on this book, click here.

• 1894, Practical Business Conversation, by C.G. Coningham, Yokohama, printed at the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, 8vo, 155 pp.

• ca 1895, Mrs. Archibald Little, My Diary in a Chinese Farm, Kelly & Walsh, Ltd, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Yokohama with collotypes and photo-engravings by K. Ogawa, Tokyo, printed at the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, limited edition of 500 copies, 8vo (7 3/4 x 10 1/2 in - 19.6 x 27 cm), decorated paper over cardboard covers, 7 collotype plates with tissue guards, 19 photo-engraved (half-tone) text illustrations, all plates and illustrations by K. Ogawa, illustrated front and rear end pages, 74 pp. The diary starts on July 6, 1893 and ends on August 3, 1894 and records the day by day events on a farm in the interior of China near Chunking (1500 miles from the sea). Recounts life in rural China from a Westerner's perspective. Also deals with interaction of Christian missionaries and the Chinese. For more information on this book, click here.

• 1898-9, Japanese Art Folio edited by H. Shugio, Tokyo, issued in twelve monthly parts, folio (13 x 19 in), 73 pp. The page count noted (ie 73 pp) does not include 72 pages of tissue guards with descriptive text. The pages are not numbered although the individual plates are numbered consecutively in roman numerals on the descriptive tissue guards and in the contents page at the front of each part. This is folio of classic Japanese art reproduced on 73 plates photographed and collotyped by K. Ogawa. Twelve (12) of these plates are colored by T. Tamura. Each plate protected with tissue guard containing an explanation in Japanese and English. Sold in bound volume format as well as single monthly issues on a subscription basis. For more information on this set, click here. Rare as a Complete Set.
  ~~ Available - Japanese Art Folio, 12 Parts - Purchase Here ~~

• 1899-1908, Selected Relics of Japanese Art, see Shimbi Shoin, below.

  For more information on Kazumasa Ogawa and his books, click here

• 1904-5, Jikemura, Major Wasuke (introduction), The Russo-Japanese War Fully Illustrated, Tokyo, Kinkodo & Muruzen, printed by the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, distribution agents, Kelly Walsh (Yokohama), Hachette et Cie (Paris), Otto Harrassowitz (Leipez), Steiger & Co. (New York), Kegan Paul, Trench Trubner & Co (London), 10 numbers in a complete set, English language, text in double columns, 8vo, (7 1/4 x 10 1/2 in - 18.2 x 26.1 cm), 4to when bound, front paper wrap illustrated by lithograph, 1400+ pages in total. First marketed as a monthly serial type paper wraps publication with issue No. 1 dated May, 1904. While sold in numbers from 1-10, the pages are consecutively numbered, averaging ca 140+ pages per issue. This is a finely illustrated publication with tissue guard protected chromolithograph plates, black and white collotype plates, color halftone plates and black and white halftone plates. Almost every text page has an illustration and often more than one. Some issues contain fold-out maps. The series contains a total of 70 chromolithogrpah plates (10 are frontispieces), 5 black and white collotype plates and 180 halftone plates (some in color). The chromolithograph plates depicting scenes from the war are a highlight of the set. The series has an introduction by Major Wasuke Jikemura. While the series chronicles the Russo-Japanese War it does far more than that. It provides a basic primer on Japanese life, politics, military history and traditions covering such diverse topics as the evolution of the military in Japan, political development in Japan, the Imperial family, religion, training of officers, the Bushido warrior code. Complete sets are very difficult to find. I believe that they were often consolidated into two volume bound sets and marketed by the various agents in that format. The paper wrap volumes have advertising at the front an rear. Prominent advertisers were K. Ogawa, Photo-Studio and the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry. For information on issue number 2, June 1904, click here.

• 1906, Ogawa, K. (Kazumasa) (Photographs/Collotype Plates), Ito, Chiuta (Booklet - Author of Text, Japanese), Tomiogi, T. (Booklet - Translator for English Text), Aoyage, A. (Booklet - Translator for Chinese Text), The Imperial City of Peking, China (Title on Folio Housing), Photographs of Palace Buildings of Peking Compiled by The Imperial Museum of Tokyo, Collotyped from the Negatives Taken by K. Ogawa , F.R.P.S. With Explanatory Notes in Japanese by C. Ito, Kogakuhakushu, English by T. Tomiogi, Bungakushi, Chinese by A. Aoyage, Limited Edition of 500 Copies (each copy numbered) (Title on Booklet), Tokyo, Kazumasa Ogawa, text printed by the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, 1906, two volumes, folio (18 1/2 x 14 5/16 in - 46.5 x 36.5 cm). Volume 1 contains descriptive booklet (text in English, Japanese & Chinese) and 65 collotype plate, five of which fold out. Volume 2 contains plates 66-172. All plates are loose. For more information on the booklet and plates 1-65, click here.

   
  

  T. Hasegawa Publications

• 1896, Japanese Topsyturvydom Tokyo (10 Hiyoshi-cho), T. Hasegawa, large size for a Hasegawa/Kobunsha book, 1896 (Meiji 29), large 12mo (6 1/2 x 7 3/4 in - 16.3 x 19.5 cm), folded creped sheets, spine covered, string tied, 20 folded pages for a total of 40 pages (including covers). A unique Hasegawa published book in several aspects. Mrs. Patton expressly intended the book for the adult reader, rather than the children's book market, with the stated goal of freeing the readers of "narrow-minded prejudice" towards the Japanese. She had resided in Japan since 1889 and was keen observer of Japanese life. The book has significant amounts of text and to accommodate that a much smaller type setting is employed. The book is the largest format Hasegawa crepe book I am aware of and the illustrations utilize vivid colors, present complex scenes and are of excellent quality. The major topics are public demonstrations, book writing, building, boats, food and table etiquette, social and domestic habits, horses, bells, cucumbers, gardens and funerals. This is one of the few T. Hasegawa books where the text was printed by the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry. For more information on this book, click here.

   
  

  Shimbi Shoin Publications

• 1899-1908, Selected Relics of Japanese Art (Nippon Shimbi Kyokwai), Shiiji Tajima, editior, Nippon Bukkyo Shimbi Kyokwai, Kyoto (Shimbi Shoin), paper or cloth (silk) covers, folio (19 x 13 in - 49 x 34 cm), 20 volumes, double folded leaves, bound Japanese style, purple silk threads, two edges gilt, 941 plates (88 color). Each folio in folding slipcase with ivory clasps. Text in English and Japanese. Collotypes by Kazumasa Ogawa in the first 6 volumes of the set. Reproductions of Art Relics from the earliest times up to the end of the Tokugawa Era from collections in Buddhist Temples in Nara and Kyoto. The issues bound in silk originally sold for 20% more than the regular issues. The Wenckstern Bibliography (Volume 2), has the table of contents for the first ten volumes (see pages 288-304, Wenckstern, Vol 2. Rare as a set.

  For detailed information on this 20 volume set, click here.

  ~~ Available - Selected Relics of Japanese Art, Vols I-XX - Purchase Here ~~

  For more information on the Shimbi Shoin and its books, click here

• 1904, Shiichi Tajima, Masterpieces by Jakuchu, The Kwansai Photograph Company, Osaka, large folio (19 x 13 3/8 in - 48.5 x 34 cm), 30 plates (6 color woodblocks & 24 black and white collopypes), 3 pages of text. Not a Shimbi Shoin publication, but an identical type art reproduction publication. For more information on this book, click here.

   
  

  The Kokka

• 1889 forward, Kokka, An Illustrated Monthly Journal of the Fine and Applied Arts of Japan and Other Eastern Countries. Published monthly with seven, or more, reproductions - many in color (generally 2 or more). Vol. 1-28 (comprising nos. 1-337), Tokyo, 1889/91-1917/18 - the complete set through 1918 is said to contain over 2,000 plates (chromo-xylographs & collotypes). Considered to be he oldest international art periodical from Japan, the magazine focused on the traditional Japanese and oriental art. Each issue has a number of articles, mostly by Japanese scholars, on Oriental art, history and architecture, with a strong emphasis on Buddhist art. Occasionally a special issue was published on a single topic covered by the plates and text. Many of the collotypes in the early issues are credited to Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry (generally the K. Ogawa collotypes).

• 1906 Choice Masterpieces of Korin and Kenzan, Tokyo, The Kokka Company, topographical work by Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, Meiji 39 (1906), folio (13 x 18 in - 33.3 x 45 cm), decorative cloth covered boards, 10 color woodblock prints tipped to thick card stock plates, decorative end-papers. One woodblock spans two plates. The numbered text pages include biographical information on Korin and Kenzan and a one paragraph discussion for each of the 10 plates depicting art by of these two artists. Each plate is protected by a descriptive tissue guard with information in English and Japanese. New issue price 10 yen. For more information on this book, click here.
  ~~ Available - Masterpieces of Korin and Kenzan - Purchase Here ~~

• 1908, Jungo Murayama, A Gallery of Japanese and Chinese Paintings, The Kokka Company, topographical work by Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, folio (17 x 12 in), 100 plates (72 in black and white collotype and 28 tipped in color woodblock prints), gold and green brocade silk over boards, string tied. New issue price was 48 yen. For more information on this book, click here.
  ~~ Available - Japanese and Chinese Paintings - Purchase Here ~~

  For more information on the Kokka and its publications, click here

 


Miscellaneous Books

1893, Kisai Takayama, A Short Biography of Dr. Kisai Takayama of Tokyo, Japan, Tokyo, Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, 1893, frontispiece, 12mo, paper wraps, 1893. 8pp. Takayama was a pioneer in the introduction of American methods of dentistry in Japan. He was trained in San Francisco. He founded the first dental college in Japan.

1893, Tsunashiro Wada, The Mining Industry of Japan During the Last Twenty Five Years, 1867-1892, Tokyo, Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, 1893, 10 plates (7 folding), color map, 8vo, 304 pp.

1894, Dautremer, J., Nikko Passe et Present, Guide Historique par Joseph Dautremer, 1st Secretaire-Interprete a la Legation de la Republique Francaise au Japan, Tokyo, Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, 1894, 8vo, paper wraps, maps, 16 illustrations, 109 pp.

1895, Inouye Jukichi, compilor, A Concise History of the War Between Japan and China, Tokyo & Osaka, Z. Mayekawa & Y. Okura, 8vo, stabe string tied, color woodblock cover, folded leaves, 1 double page color woodblock plate, 5 woodcut plates (2 double page), 9 maps (1 color double-page) and wood engraved vignette in the back, 87 pp. Printed at the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry

1901, Ferrand, Claudius, Fables et Legendes du Japon par Claudius Ferrand, Deuxime (Second) Edition, Tous Droits Reserves, Tokio, Imprimerie de la Tsukiji Type Foundry, Paris Chez M. L'Abbe P. Ferrand, Meiji 34 (1901), small 8vo (6 x 8 3/4 in - 15 x 22.5 cm), plain paper, text in folded sheets, color woodblock plates (4) on single sheets, text in French, spine covered at head and foot for ca 1 in, ribbon ties, title page in black, frontispiece (color woodblock) with title, 155 numbered pages (78 folded pages), three internal woodblock plates on single sheets. The first page of each of the thirteen sections has a black and white woodcut decorative title. Each page of text has a black and white woodcut illustration. For more information on this book, click here. Several editions were published between 1901 and 1904.

1908, A Guide to the Imperial Government Railways of Japan, Tokyo, Tsukiji Type Foundry, 1908, gilt decorated front cover, string tied, 12mo, large color folding map, text illustrations, 20 pp. A book specifically for use by US Navy personnel visiting Japan. More of a tourist guide to Tokyo and Yokohama than a guide to the Government railways.

c1910, Meika Shimpitsu-Jo. Old and Renowned Pictures and Hand Writings. Selected and Arranged From the Collections in the Historical Department in the Cabinet and Imperial University, Japan, Tokyo, Rokakuho Uchida, accordion-bound portfolio (33.1 x 20.2 cm), brocade covered boards with a paper label, color and monochrome lithographic plates, 58 pp. Printed at the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry.

• 1911, The House of Sumito, Osaka, Japan, stiff covers with ribbon ties. Printed by K. Ogawa and the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry.

  1913-1920, Imperial Japanese Government Railways, An Official Guide to Eastern Asia, Trans-Continental Connections Between Europe and Asia Volumes I-IV and V & VI, Tokyo, Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry. For more information on the complete set, click here.

   
  

  Postage Stamps

  Chinese Definitive Set (1897)
  

  The First Imperial Chinese Post Issue - "Coiling Dragon Stamps" - Lithographed in Japan (Scott numbers 86-97, issued August 16, 1897). After the establishment of the Chinese National Postal Service, a set of definitive stamps was ordered from Waterlow & Sons, London. It would take more than a year to engrave the plates, print and ship the stamps from England. To satisfy the immediate needs, a lithographed set of the definitive stamps was ordered from Japan. This set (12 stamps/values, 1/2c~$5) was printed by Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry. The engraved Waterlow stamps (with a different design) were not issued until 1898.

  The Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry also printed stamps as set of stamps for Chinkiang Postal Service, a Chinese Local Post. This set was issued in 1894.

   
  Recorded Addresses for the Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry:

  • 17, 2(ni)-chome, Tsukiji-cho, Kyobashi-ku (as late as 1907)
  • 15, 3-chome, Tsukiji-cho, Kyobashi-ku

If you are aware of books or publications printed by the Tsukiji Type Foundry which are not listed above, your comments would be greatly appreciated. In addition, corrections/additions/comments regarding the above listing are welcome.

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