The Commercialization of Knowledge

The 17th century ushered in a new age of commercial book publishing in Japan. For publishers themselves, book printing was to become a very profitable, though fiercely competitive, field. Indeed, it soon became clear that the publishing market would need to be regulated by way of intellectual property rights in order to protect the interests of the publisher. From the early 18th century onwards, copyright infringement developed from a mere peccadillo to a crime that would have drastic consequences for the accused. Of the various genres that made up this new and vibrant publishing scene, practical guidebooks were particularly successful. Indeed, the sheer volume of titles produced demonstrates the popularity and, above all, the profitability of knowledge during the Edo period. Japan was on the brink of becoming a fully-fledged premodern knowledge society, and the demand for this new commodity was correspondingly high. Publishers wasted no time in responding very creatively to this demand as best they could within the legal framework of the time.
Focusing on a variety of guidebook genres and topics, the volume examines the multifaceted nature of the commercialization of knowledge in the Edo period. The included contributions show that every strata of premodern society gained access to a wide range of previously exclusive knowledge about practical life, entertainment and more. It would not be an exaggeration to say that knowledge became the key to personal, social, and professional advancement for individuals in premodern Japan.