Background and Revisions of the First English Guidebook to Kyoto: A Study of ‘The Guide to the Celebrated Places in Kiyoto” (1873) by Yamamoto Kakuma

Abstract

The first-ever English guidebook to Kyoto, supervised by Yamamoto Kakuma (1828-1892), was issued in 1873 to introduce scenic spots and souvenirs of Kyoto to foreign visitors attending the Kyoto Exhibition. This paper clarifies the background, the people who were engaged in publishing the book, and the features of its text. Moreover, I compared the older and newer editions of this book in order to clarify renewed information and improvements of English expressions.