Jippensha Ikku (1765–1831)

Written at the start of the 19th century, this is a kind of Japanese "Three Men in a Boat"...only it's mainly set on land, and there are just two silly young men; the "dissipated Yajirobei and his hanger-on Kitahachi." As they travel from their hometown of Tokyo to Kyoto, by way of many inns and tea houses, there are endless pranks, comic adventures and disasters.
Whether they're luring courtesans back to their room (where, in the excitement, they've forgotten they stashed a live turtle in the cupboard); trying to "get one over" on traders or accidentally urinating in the teapot....it's a vivid and entertaining impression of that world.
Some of the puns (despite the notes at the back) didnt work in translation; and I would also note that in my edition, the page numbers OF the notes didnt tally to the actual page numbers!
Worth reading. Quite entertaining.… (mehr)