Shitakiri suzume

This is the Dutch language version of the Shitakiri suzume, one of the so-called chirimen bon (crepe-paper books) that were created for foreigners during the Meiji period. Our copy is a tairashi-bon (prints on plain paper). This was translated by Pieter Gerard van Schermbeek and the Dutch title is De musch met de geknipte tong. This book is the last Dutch language book published in Japan in the 19th century owned by the National Diet Library.

One of the items from the 'Japan-Netherlands Exchange in the Edo Period' online exhibition. Link…