In the Shelter of the Pine: A Memoir of Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu and Tokugawa Japan

In the early eighteenth century, Ōgimachi Machiko composed a memoir of Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, a powerful samurai for whom she had served as a concubine for twenty years. Machiko assisted Yoshiyasu in his ascent to the rank of chief adjutant to the Tokugawa shogun, kept him in good graces with the imperial court, enabled him to study poetry with aristocratic teachers, and gave birth to two of his sons. Writing after Yoshiyasu's retirement, she recalled the glittering formal visits of the shogun and his entourage, as well as the passage of the seasons as seen from her apartments in the Yanagisawa mansion. "In the Shelter of the Pine" is the most significant work of literature by a woman of Japan's early modern era, featuring Machiko's keen eye for detail, strong narrative voice, and polished prose studded with allusions to Chinese and Japanese classics. It sheds light on the social world of the Tokugawa elite and the role of literature in womens lives, and is modeled on The Tale of Genji, which continued to inspire its female readers and provide them with the means to make sense of their experiences.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 29 June 2021
Publisher: Columbia University Press

In the early eighteenth century, a noblewoman named Ōgimachi Machiko penned a memoir that delved into the life of Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, a formidable samurai whom she had served as a concubine for a remarkable twenty years. Machiko played a pivotal role in assisting Yoshiyasu in his ascent to the esteemed position of chief adjutant to the Tokugawa shogun. Through her efforts, she maintained his favor with the imperial court, facilitated his studies in poetry under the guidance of aristocratic teachers, and even had his compositions read by the retired emperor. Moreover, she bore two of his sons. Reflecting on her experiences after Yoshiyasu's retirement, Machiko vividly recalled the grandeur of the shogun's formal visits and the changing seasons as viewed from her apartments within the Yanagisawa mansion.

In the Shelter of the Pine stands as a paramount masterpiece of literature produced by a woman during Japan's early modern era. Machiko's exceptional attention to detail, powerful narrative voice, and elegant prose adorned with references to Chinese and Japanese classics, imbue this memoir with profound insights into various facets of society. Machiko's narrative drew inspiration from The Tale of Genji, a renowned eleventh-century classic that continued to resonate with its female readers and offer them a means to interpret their own experiences. Elegant, poetic, and revealing, In the Shelter of the Pine serves as a vivid portrayal of a distant world and a valuable addition to the rich tapestry of Japanese literature accessible in English.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231199506