About the original owner Hirano Shirō (平野四郎)
One of our major subjects of our collection is studies on falconry. Most of them were purchased from Dawson's Book Shop in 1967. However, they were originally held by 平野四郎 (Hirano Shirō), known as an omithologist and collector of books on ornithology. He was also a member of 日本野鳥の会 (Nihon Yachō no Kai), Wild Bird Society of Japan. He published several articles in this journal, including 「鳥の古書に就いて」("Tori no kosho ni tsuite") in their journal.
His grand father was Hirano Kenzan (平野謙三) and his father was Hirano Sōzan (平野宗山) both were Confucian scholars and calligraphers of Kamei School. Together, they published a collection of poem titled 『黄城詩鈔』Hirano Shirō himself might be a calligrapher; most of his books have the seal with his pen name 「平野碧山 (Hirano Hekizan)」.
The Way of Falconry
仁義理古武志 (Nigirikobushi) [fist as perch for hawks] by Call Number: D1410Publication Date: estimated between 1661-1683“Nigirikobushi” literally means a clenched fist, which is most likely referring to the fist of a falconer who is holding onto their falcon. This book consists of 24 chapters of text which explains falcons in Japan and China, color of falcons, types of falcons, famous stories related to hawks, illness and treatments, etc. Includes illustrations of many birds attached/perched on poles/trees/etc. Falcons as well as birds related to falcons, such as parakeets are also mentioned.
Currently, the Spencer Research Library holds three other versions of this same text, however each of them are slightly different. Those call numbers are D1408, D1409, and D470. Cover art for those have also been added.
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(D1408, D1409, D470)
- (Taka dogu no maki) [no official title] byCall Number: MSRoll11Publication Date: 1771This scroll depicts and describes tools and the ways of falconry. Includes walking tools, birds falcons can catch, among other equipment.
Click here to view more photos of the scroll. There are more images incorporated in the scroll that are not shown.
This is called 大緒 (おおーお) and used to tie up the falcon, similar to a halter. Can be tied to the falconer’s glove or tied to a perch.
This is a 餌籠（えかご), a basket to keep bait or game.
當流鷹書 (Tōryū takasho) by Call Number: MSC178Publication Date: unknownPreviously owned by Hirano Shirō, this manuscript was a school manual for training hawks. This manual contains drawings of equipment of falconry and hawks. The selected illustrations show different styles of tying a hawk.
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Note that although Kokusho database has an entry with the same title, which can be accessed here https://doi.org/10.20730/100234495, the contents are different.
鷹書 (Taka no Sho) 地 (Chi) by Call Number: MSD102Publication Date: unknownThe title page has 「地」after 「鷹書」which may implies this is the second volume of 3-volume set. There is no information regarding the author and the date of production. There are many works titled 「鷹書」in 国書データベース, but is it not clear if any of them are identical to KU’s collection.
The image below shows how to tie different knots for harnessing your falcon to a post.
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The Way of Falconry
太鷹秘集修法 （Taiyō hishū shuhō no maki) by Call Number: MSC180Publication Date: unknownThe strip of paper on the back cover reads 「小笠原鷹飼 装束之巻」. In the first page, 「和撰賦」is scratched from the heading. The sample excerpt introduces how to tie a hawk in different occasions. In the sample page, in which a hawk is tied to a screen, the text discusses the type of hawk to tie, tree to use, the direction to face, etc., in a different season.
There is one manuscript titled 「鷹揚法和撰賦」in 国書データベース, but it is not certain if the text matches with our collection.
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鷹ニ付而之式法之㕝 (Taka ni tsuite kore shikiho no koto) by Call Number: MSC181Publication Date: unknownThe second character of the title may be read 「弐」or 「式」. At the right side of the daisen title, it reads 一本小笠原流鷹之書◯題」 There is no identical title in 国書データベース. The sample illustration explains the name of different body parts.
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鷹請取渡之事 (Taka uketoriwatashi no koto) by Call Number: MSD98Publication Date: 1772The last page (shown) says this memorandum was confirmed in the 9th month of Meiwa 9 (1772), however the date shown might not be the date this copy was published.
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鷹之事 (taka no koto) by Call Number: MSD101Publication Date: 1516There are four volumes to this collection. The daisen title of each volume is 鷹之事 (Taka no koto), however, vol. 2 has a different title, 「責鷹似鳩拙抄 (Sekiyō jikyū sesshō)」.
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Volume one shows two dates when the texts were copied; on the right, Kareki 3-nen (1328) 2nd month, 23rd day and on the left, Eishō 13 (1516) 6th month, 19th day.
Volume 2, 「責鷹似鳩拙抄 (Sekiyō jikyū sesshō)」was written by 持明院基春 (Jimyōin Motoharu) in Eishō 3 (1506). The text is included in 『続群書類従』( 一九輯中). The first page of this text introduces what a falcon is called in different countries.
This sample page explains how to tie hares.
The sample page of vol. 3 also lists the word for a falcon in different countries, but this list is slightly different from above mentioned 「責鷹似鳩拙抄 (Sekiyō jikyū sesshō)」.
The text of vol. 4「鷹書(Takasho)」has been digitized and accessible at: https://kokusho.nijl.ac.jp/biblio/100304242/ The sample illustration from vol. 4 explains how to tie game.
