蒟こん蒻にゃく本ぼん

noun

Japanese book size (approx. 12.5cm × 17.5cm)

A traditional book format roughly half the size of 半紙 (hanshi). The name comes from the resemblance to a slab of konjac (こんにゃく).

See also: 半紙 (はんし)

• 江え戸ど時じ代だいの洒落しゃれ本ぼんは、蒟こん蒻にゃく本ぼんと呼よばれる小ちいさな判はん型けいで出しゅっ版ぱんされた。

  Edo-period sharebon were published in a small format called konnyakubon.

noun

late Edo-period novelette about the red-light district

By extension, refers to the genre of short, often humorous stories (洒落本) printed in this small format, depicting life in the pleasure quarters.

See also: 洒落本

• この蒟こん蒻にゃく本ぼんは、吉よし原わらの遊ゆう女じょと客きゃくのやりとりを軽けい妙みょうに描えがいている。

  This konnyakubon wittily depicts exchanges between courtesans and customers in Yoshiwara.