September 2, 2026 Spotted in Hozuki Books latest catalogue: Fold-and-cut origami .
Hōzuki Books || Wakoku Chiekurabe [A Battle of Wits in Japan] Japan's oldest puzzle book: Wakoku Chiekurabe (Japanese Literature ) || Rare Japanese books, manuscripts, prints, and scrolls https://www.hozukibooks.com/shop-.php?ID=1788343043&La=E <https://www.hozukibooks.com/shop-description.php?ID=1788343043&La=E> “ Wakoku Chiekurabe [A Battle of Wits in Japan] [Tagaya], Kanchūsen [selections by]; [illustrator unidentified]. Kyōto: Hishiya Jihē, Kyōho 12 [1727]. Widely accepted as Japan's first published work on mathematical puzzles for amusement, Tagaya Kanchūsen's *Wakoku Chiekurabe *represents an important milestone in the history of recreational mathematics. The first volume shows figures illustrated in a comical *toba-e *style trying to solve several of the eighteen puzzles detailed in the text of the second volume. The puzzles include a *yakushizan *problem, a *mamakodate *puzzle (a version of the Josephus Problem), a 'squaring the rectangle' puzzle, magic circles, the earliest known description of a fold-and-cut (*ittōkiri*/ *hitotachi *origami) problem, puzzles relating to *goishi hiroi*/ *hiroimono *(a combination of* ichi-no-seki*and peg solitaire), and more. While Yoshida Mitsuyoshi's *Jinkōki *(first published 1627) also includes several recreational problems, it is considered an educational manual for practical use, not a work of recreation. The light-hearted nature of *Wakoku*, evinced by the dedication of one of its two volumes to comical illustrations, stands in contrast to Jinkōki's practical bent. The author of *Wakoku*, Tagaya Kanchūsen (also known as Kanchūsen Izō; active ca. 1730s), was a mathematician and maker of astronomical and scientific instruments (including clocks), although he is believed to have also dabbled in medicine. Kanchūsen wrote some of the first books on automata (*karakuri*) and sleight-of-hand tricks to be published in Japan. These works have historically overshadowed *Wakoku*, although a recent increase in publications of academic articles referencing Wakoku suggests that the trend may be inverting. In* Goishi hiroi to Fibonacci-sū *(2019), for example, Katayama Shin'ichi and Yasui Hiroharu discuss *goishi hiroi *with reference to Fibonacci numbers and provide several examples of problems from *Wakoku*. In *Treks into Intuitive Geometry: The World of Polygons and Polyhedra *(2015), Akiyama Jin considers a patchwork problem from *Wakoku *and offers an attractive translation of the title of the work - "A Battle of Wits in Japan" (although a more literal but awkward translation might be "Japanese Wisdom Comparison"). In more public arenas, the *New Scientist *cited the work as "Japan's oldest puzzle book" in 2017 and *The Guardian *featured some of its puzzles for readers to solve. An important and highly visual work overlooked in the history of Japanese mathematics. Two four-hole-bound (*yotsumetoji*) volumes, complete, on double leaves, traditional East Asian binding style (*fukurotoji*). Original wrappers scuffed and scraped, with a few creases. Original *daisen *title panels present, with small losses. Occasional wormholes to v. 2, only slightly touching text. Light stain to opening edge of v. 1. Very small tear to first page of v. 1. Three ex-ownership marks whited-out. Ex-ownership inscription to first p. and colophon of v. 2. 6; 20 [actually 14 leaves but deliberately mis-paginated by the publisher] leaves. 22.3 x 15.8 cm. ❧Akiyama, Jin and Matsunaga, Kiyoko. *Treks into Intuitive Geometry: The World of Polygons and Polyhedra*. Tokyo: Springer, 2015. ❧Demaine, Erik. "The Fold-and-Cut Problem: Kan Chu Sen's Wakoku Chiyekurabe." *Erik Demaine’s Folding and Unfolding*. 2010. http://erikdemaine.org/foldcut/ sen_book.html. ❧Katayama, Shinichi. "Goishihiroi to Fibonacci-sū", *Tokushima Kakagushi Zasshi*, 38 (2019). ❧Heaven, Douglas. "How Japan got a fix on brain-teasing highs", *New Scientist*, November 11, 2017, https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23631540-800-how-japan got-a-fix-on-brain-teasing-highs/ # 260902-7” [nb I couldn't get the links to work from my cellphone. ] Karen [email protected]
