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BOKUSHI SUZUKI OF HOKUETSU SEPPU

  When the ruling of Tokugawa began to decay one of the mos
popular writers of the highlymatured Edo Culture, Kyoden 
Santo received a letter asking him assistance for a 
publishing a book.
  Sender's name was Bokushi Suzuki of Echigo(Niigata Pref.
now).
  Although Kyoden had acquainted with him a little as haiku 
poet but the manuscript sent to him was not original haiku 
poem nor ordinary selected poems, not a novel followed the
style of Kyoden to be famous like him.
  What described scruplously in it was rural district of 
Echigo where Bokushi lives, snowbound almost half a year and
life of people in heavy snow.
  The book Hokuetsu Seppu was published by enthusiasm of 
Bokushi, unexpectedly won so much popularity so much as 
being requested a sequel to it.
  In those days, there was boom of travel, so it might be 
regarded as variation of travel guide introducing noted 
places and specialties of locality much published following
the boom. The book, however, was the first scientific essay 
in Japan and work of ethnography in fact. 
  The contiuation was never written though. The author had 
serious problem of hearing and devoted himself in keeping 
diary which served as vent for his frustration and troubles
among his family and family business(pawnshop) caused by the
desability.

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