Mechanisms of the plot’s construction in the first book of Japanese literary work “Tōkaidōchū hizakurige” (1802–1809)

Abstract

The article presents the main characteristics of plot construction in the first part of “Tōkaidōchū hizakurige” by Jippensha Ikku, one of the most prominent works of the kokkeibon (“funny books”) genre. The following tendencies, continued to be used in the sequels, are highlighted in the article: the exploitation of techniques and plots of the travel literature of earlier epochs; the usage of three essential methods (ugachi, wordplay, situational comedy) in order to create comic scenes; the independence of episodes and the open final as the basis of the composition. The points listed above are illustrated with the fragments from “Tōkaidōchū hizakurige”, translated by the article’s author.