"The Edo Life of the Bakin Family" Minoru Takamaki Published by Chuko Shinsho (First edition, May 2003) Price: 780 yen ◎ Considering the years that have passed, there is no noticeable staining, and I think it's in pretty good condition. 〈Contents〉 ・The Family of Takizawa Bakin ・Family Marriages, Childbirths, and Divorces ・Family Deaths ・Housing, Pets, and Baths ・Bakin's Finances, Michi's Finances, Men's Housework ・Neighborhood Relations and Mutual Aid ・Seasonal Events and Food Takizawa Bakin, the author of the well-known fantasy novel "Nanso Satomi Hakkenden," left behind remarkably detailed diaries. Michi, the eldest son's wife, also continued to write similar diaries, following Bakin's example. Bakin, who was always conscious of being a samurai, albeit of a low rank, lived a life after retirement that was almost identical to that of a townsperson. From family marriages, childbirths, divorces, and deaths to kitchen finances, neighborhood relations, and the exchange of congratulatory gifts, we catch a glimpse of the changing seasons of the Edo commoners who lived in the mid-nineteenth century.