A small magazine published before the war.
Surrounding the beautiful books
After the dreams of bibliophiles.

This book is a compilation of the first 12 issues of the beloved bibliography "Shosado," published by Aoi Shobo for about 10 years before the war (published on April 10, 1935).2 books."Shosado"The cover of each issue is color-printed by Koshiro Onchi.DesignThe limited edition number (membership number) was engraved on the cover. The text was typeset using phototypesetting, which had just been developed at the time.Offset printedThe main text was made of high-quality postal paper, the same paper used for banknotes and securities. Each issue had a different theme, such as a special feature on printing research, a memorial issue for Yumeji, a special feature on picture books, and a special feature on library records, and was created by book lovers of the time.Eyes wideLikelyIn the serial corner, we introduced the symbol marks of domestic and foreign publishers, and members exchanged information such as "I'm looking for this book."Books I've worked onThere is even a column in which the book designer himself speaks about his own thoughts on the book, so it is still quite interesting to read even today.

The author of this "Shosado" was the poet, printmaker, and book designer Koshiro Onchi.The editorial and art direction make this magazine timeless.Later, he was featured in Yusaku Kamekura's "Creation" (published by Recruit) and Fujio Akatsuka's "Monthly Manga No. 1" (published byJapan), and more recentlyFumio Tachibana's magazine "Kyutai" (published by:Rokuyosha)There are magazines published by designers and manga artists who have served as editors-in-chief or editors-in-chief, but"Book Magazine"The edited version is almost unique.

by the way,Even though it was a magazine, it was limited to 700 copies."Shosado"The publisher,Working hand in hand with Onji to create this beloved bibliographyI kept sending them out like personal letters.I am fascinated by a man named Shimo Taro (1900-1980). He was born in 1900 as the eldest son of a sake brewer and prefectural assembly member in Okayama Prefecture.In 1924He founded the liquor store "Isemoto" in Oji, Kita Ward. In 1929, he moved to Arai, Nakano Ward to open the Isemoto liquor store, where he happened to be living nearby and met Koshiro Onchi, with whom he and his wife hit it off. In 1934, he founded Aoi Shobo, and in the following year, 1935, he appointed Koshiro Onchi as editor.Published the magazine "Shoshou."In the afterword to the first issue, titled "Miscellaneous Diary," he wrote the following opening statement: "Shomado is a magazine to read, but at the same time, we want it to be enjoyable to look at, so we have invested untold amounts of money in paper quality and printing to enhance the visual effect... Aoi Shobo is purely my hobby. I have never once thought about making a profit from publishing books." There are no publishers like Shimotaro left.The financial means he had for publishing was something to be envied, but even more than that, he had a love for type and books. Although he was the manager of a publishing company, Shimo Taro was also in charge of all aspects of the business, from typesetting to writing, editing, proofreading, public relations, and mail order sales. It was impossible for him to be merely a hobbyist.

Shimotaro risked his life to protect these beautiful books.As the war situation became uncertain, the government implemented a national policy with the plausible name of "the campaign to abolish variant typefaces." In reality, all typefaces other than Ming style were called "variant typefaces," and these "unnecessary"type leadDissolveThey were planning to use it for weapons.Shimo is,A fierce protestIn "Shomado No. 62"It has been published.The government's secret operationsHe denounced it as an "unforgivable, heinous, outrageous act" and urged the publishing industry to rise up.The circumstances and the outcome of this are detailed in Katashio Jiro's "Men Obsessed with Type" (Robundo). This manifesto sent a huge shock through the publishing and printing world of the time, but he was also targeted by the authorities as a dangerous person and was hounded day and night, eventually causing Aoi Bookstore to go out of business. He also closed his livelihood shop, Isemoto, and was forced to retreat to a castle in the mountains of his hometown, Okayama Prefecture. After that, it is said that he never returned to Tokyo. The "Aishokai Tsuushin" that he published in his hometown was taken over by bookplate enthusiasts after the war and is still published today as the "Japan Bookplate Association Tsuushin." Shimo retreated into the world of bookplates, the small books, and passed away in Okayama. Without Shimotaro, "Shosado" would not have existed.Published by Aoi ShoboMany of Onchi Koshiro's beautiful books would never have been produced.

Finally, the poem by Hakushu Kitahara that appeared at the beginning of the first issue is so good that I'll post it here in its entirety, even though it's a bit long. I want to ruminate on the last three lines over and over again.


Snow and Fireflies - A Commentary on "Shosado"
Hakushu Kitahara

In the window where we once read our books
(Oh, how classic.)
I smelled the scent of fireflies,
The snow lights were also shining.
I wore a kimono with Kurume Kasuri pattern,
He read it aloud, in the determined voice of a boy.

Yes, yes, yes,
The tarnished lamp of the lamp
I also felt nostalgic for the paper sliding doors.
Anything I read is interesting,
I used to memorize everything.
Ah, but still
There was just one thing I didn't understand,
Something.

Now, my child will be that age.
Just like my father did back then.
He read aloud, in a commanding voice.
It seems like reading anything is interesting,
I thought I was a complete adult.
I think that's quite clever,
But I still don't understand it at all.
Just that one secret.

What a nice guy,
It is better not to understand what you don't understand.
You'll be amazed when you find out now.
This was my father, but when I think about it
I think I understand things I didn't understand back then,
What I thought I understood was actually
I don't understand anymore.

This child, I think,
This child is now in his first year of junior high school,
How young he is!
With a face that seemed to understand everything,
In fact, he is just a child.

The lights are too bright,
The window is made of too transparent glass,
It's too visible from the outside.



*As of issue 103 of "Shoshou",In June 1944Suspended publication.



Text by Osamu Kushida