About This Print

One of 118 prints in the series Dai Nippon Bussan Zue (Products of Greater Japan), issued in August 1877 to coincide with the opening of Japan’s first National Industrial Exposition (Naikoku Kangyō Hakurankai) held in Tokyo’s Ueno Park. In this print, katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes, a staple of Japanese cookery) are being processed. Tosa Province (土佐国 Tosa no kuni) is a former province of Japan in the area that is today Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku. Tosa was bordered by Iyo and Awa Provinces. It was sometimes called Doshū (土州).^{1 "}The waters of the bay [Tosa Bay] made possible a flourishing fishing industry, and dried bonito (katsuobushi) from Tosa found its way from the fishing villages, via the proper guild channels, to the markets of Osaka and Edo."²

Multiple Editions (Variant Printings)

At least three variant printings (editions) were made of this series.  Each variant printing uses a different colored cartouche containing the series' title, either red, green or rainbow-colored.  Different colored borders were also used and variances in the use of colors and shading are present in the three editions.