Finely Illustrated manuscript on paper. Approximately 74 fine paintings in splendid colour, including maps throughout. Ten parts in five volumes. Octavo. (267 x 195 mm), original patterned wrappers. A beautifully illustrated manuscript of Furukawa's famous tour of Japan's northeast regions, including Hokkaido, during the years 1787-88. This copy is uncommonly well illustrated, superbly coloured with great detail. Furukawa (1726-1807) was a native of Okayama Prefecture, and was a rather unruly youth and pursued studies in a variety of fields. He studied geography under Sekisui Nagakubo in Edo, which inspired him to start travelling throughout Japan. His first great work - "Saiyu zakki" (Jottings of Travels in the West) tells of his extensive travels throughout southwestern Japan, including Kyushu, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Dazaifu and Shimonoseki. Many of the illustrations are double page, a few extending to three pages, many are of landscapes, and notable shrines, temples, lakes, bridges, castles and towns of northern Japan and Hokkaido, along with maps. In fresh condition, some pages have worm holes to a greater or lesser extent.