was the most oft-used penname of Ōta Tan, a late Edo-period Japanese poet and fiction writer. Ōta Nanpo wrote primarily in the comedic forms of '' kyōshi'', derived from comic Chinese verse, and '' kyōka'', derived from '' waka'' poetry. Ōta Nanpo's pennames also include Yomo no Akara (), Yomo Sanjin, Kyōkaen, and Shokusanjin (). Born into a lower-status samurai family in

Edo Edo ( ja, , , "bay-entrance" or "estuary"), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a ''jōkamachi'' (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the ''de facto'' capital of ...

, Nanpo served the shogunate in various ways throughout his life. He began his literary career as a student of Chinese Ming-dynasty writings, and adapted traditional Chinese comic verse (called ''kyōshi'' in Japanese), under the mentorship of playwright Hiraga Gennai, to daily life in Edo. His first collection of work was called ''Neboke sensei bunshū'', or the Literary Works of Master Groggy. Nanpo soon began to write ''kyōka'', comic ''waka'' verses, as well. His popularity grew in the 1760s and 1770s, as a result of his down-to-earth subject matter and unabashed style. During this time he also wrote a number of works of popular literature, and edited a collection of comic verses called ''Manzai kyōkashū'', which truly cemented his position as a central literary figure of his time. For political reasons, he was forced to abandon his writings for a time in the 1780s. He committed himself for several years to shogunal duties, but eventually returned to poetry. Nanpo also collaborated with many different artists such as

Hokusai , known simply as Hokusai, was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period, active as a painter and printmaker. He is best known for the woodblock print series '' Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji'', which includes the iconic print ''The Great ...

, Eishi, Hokuba, Sakai Hōitsu and many others. Many paintings bears his original calligraphy and poem, he also worked together with artists in making prints, surimono and ehon. Nanpo made calligrphies ( calligraphy) mainly in the

tanzaku , also known as the Star Festival ( 星祭り, ''Hoshimatsuri''), is a Japanese festival originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair re ...

and

kakemono __NOTOC__ A , more commonly referred to as a , is a Japanese hanging scroll used to display and exhibit paintings and calligraphy inscriptions and designs mounted usually with silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which ...

format. He also produced paintings; these are now extremely rare. The most famous of Nanpo's paintings are in the album ''Shokusanjin ennyo meisekishu'' ("A collection of Shokusanjin memorabilia"). The album consists of 41 double pages of letters, paintings, fan paintings, sketches, and poems; ink and colour on paper and silk. The album size is 15 × 9in (40 x 24 cm). Date;1804. All of the works bears Nanpo's writing. Some works was coproduced and inscribed by other gifted people. The inscribed works includes examples by the

kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. Kabuki is thought ...

actor

Ichikawa Danjūrō V also known as , was one of the most famous and popular Japanese Kabuki actors of all time. Throughout his career, Danjūrō would hold some of the highest ranks in the '' hyōbanki'', an annual Edo publications which evaluated actors and perfo ...

, the

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Katsu Katsu may refer to: Entertainment *Katsu (band), from Central Pennsylvania * KATSU!, manga by Mitsuru Adachi *" Katsu!" ( ja), a 1984 song by Shibugakitai *Katsucon, an annual anime convention in Maryland Other *Katsu (Zen), a shout used in East A ...

, the

courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other ...

Nareginu, the ''kyōka'' master Shikatsube Magao, the novelist Santō Kyōden, and the kanshi (Chinese-style verse) poets Kikuchi Gozan and Ōkubo Shibutsu. There are paintings by the

ukiyo-e Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese art which flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Its artists produced woodblock prints and paintings of such subjects as female beauties; kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers; scenes from history and folk ...

artists

and Hokuba in the album. A further two fan paintings, one with a Chinese-style landscape by Haruki Nanmei (1795–1878) and a playful image of the Chinese poet

Li Bai Li Bai (, 701–762), also pronounced as Li Bo, courtesy name Taibai (), was a Chinese poet, acclaimed from his own time to the present as a brilliant and romantic figure who took traditional poetic forms to new heights. He and his friend Du F ...

in his cups by Unshitsu Dojin, shows Shokusanjin's links to the more aloft of the literati artists. The album is a compendium of material documenting the interaction between prominent members of literary, theatre, and art circles of the day. Shokusanjin as Nanpo signs himself here produced two small sketches which were mounted into the album. The first sketch is of a

and the other of an

oiran is a collective term for the highest-ranking courtesans in Japanese history, who were considered to be above common prostitutes (known as ) for their more refined entertainment skills and training in the traditional arts. Divided into a num ...

(courtesan). The album is in the Chiba city Museum of Art, ex. provenance; Azabu Museum and Anders Rikardson Collection. Nanpo produced the first version of the '' Ukiyo-e Ruikō'' (, "Various Thoughts on Ukiyo-e") in 1790. the ''Ukiyo-e Ruikō'' is a collection of commentaries and biographies of

artists was circulated in handwritten copies subject with numerous additions and alterations over the years; it did not appear in print in the Edo period.

References

Works cited

*"Ōta Nampo" (1985). ''Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan''. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ota, Nampo Japanese writers of the Edo period 18th-century Japanese poets 1749 births 1823 deaths Date of death missing Place of death missing Date of birth unknown Japanese male poets 18th-century male writers Writers from Tokyo 18th-century pseudonymous writers