noun
ninjōbon; late Edo-period romance novel
A genre of popular fiction from the late Edo period (early 19th century) focusing on the love lives and emotions of ordinary townspeople. Often contrasted with 洒落本 (sharebon) and 滑稽本 (kokkeibon).
為永春水は人情本の代表的な作者です。
Tamenaga Shunsui is a representative author of ninjōbon.
この研究は江戸後期の人情本を分析している。
This research analyzes ninjōbon from the late Edo period.
Kokkeibon are comical novels, whereas ninjōbon emphasize romantic and sentimental plots.
From 人情 (ninjō, 'human emotion') + 本 (hon, 'book'). The term was coined in the late Edo period to describe a new genre of romantic fiction.