Ihara Saikaku
describes a type of printed Japanese book that was produced primarily in Kyoto between 1600 and 1680. The term literally means “books written in "kana"” ("kana" being the phonetic Japanese syllabary that is simpler to read and write than "kanji", or Chinese ideographs). The designation thus derives from the fact that the text of these books was written either entirely in "kana" or in a mixture of "kana" and "kanji". "Kanazōshi" are considered to be a transitional genre, bridging the gap between medieval romances and the first high point of Edo period (1600-1868) literature, the "ukiyozōshi" composed by Ihara Saikaku (1642–93). The genre comprises an unlikely assortment of essays, stories, travel guides for famous places, military chronicles, religious writings, and critical pieces. Despite the lack of uniformity in content, "kanazōshi" are classified as a distinct genre primarily based on the fact that they were the first literary works to be printed and widely circulated in Japan. Scholars also maintain that "kanazōshi" are generally of higher literary quality and more realistic than medieval forms, such as the "otogizōshi", that preceded them.