The regular trade in musical insects is of comparatively modern
origin. In Tōkyō its beginnings date back only to the Kwansei era
(1789-1800),--at which period, however, the capital of the Shōgunate
was still called Yedo. A complete history of the business was recently
placed in my hands,--a history partly compiled from old documents,
and partly from traditions preserved in the families of several noted
insect-merchants of the present day.
* * * * *
The founder of the Tōkyō trade was an itinerant foodseller named Chūzō,
originally from Echigo, who settled in the Kanda district of the city
in the latter part of the eighteenth century. One day, while making his
usual rounds, it occurred to him to capture a few of the _suzumushi_,
or bell-insects, then very plentiful in the Negishi quarter, and to
try the experiment of feeding them at home. They throve and made
music in confinement; and several of Chūzō’s neighbors, charmed by
their melodious chirruping, asked to be supplied with _suzumushi_
for a consideration. From this accidental beginning, the demand for
_suzumushi_ grew rapidly to such proportions that the foodseller at last
decided to give up his former calling and to become an insect-seller.
Chūzō only caught and sold insects: he never imagined that it would be
more profitable to breed them. But the fact was presently discovered
by one of his customers,--a man named Kirayama, then in the service
of the Lord Aoyama Shimodzuké-no-Kami. Kiriyama had bought from Chūzō
several _suzumushi_, which were kept and fed in a jar half-filled with
moist clay. They died in the cold season; but during the following
summer Kiriyama was agreeably surprised to find the jar newly peopled
with a number of young ones, evidently born from eggs which the first
prisoners had left in the clay. He fed them carefully, and soon had the
pleasure, my chronicler says, of hearing them “begin to sing in small
voices.” Then he resolved to make some experiments; and, aided by Chūzō,
who furnished the males and females, he succeeded in breeding not only
_suzumushi_, but three other kinds of singing-insects also,--_kantan_,
_matsumushi_, and _kutsuwamushi_. He discovered, at the same time,
that, by keeping his jars in a warm room, the insects could be hatched
considerably in advance of the natural season. Chūzō sold for Kiriyama
these home-bred singers; and both men found the new undertaking
profitable beyond expectation.
The example set by Kiriyama was imitated by a _tabiya_, or
stocking-maker named Yasubei (commonly known as Tabiya Yasubei by
reason of his calling), who lived in Kanda-ku. Yasubei likewise made
careful study of the habits of singing-insects, with a view to their
breeding and nourishment; and he soon found himself able to carry on
a small trade in them. Up to that time the insects sold in Yedo would
seem to have been kept in jars or boxes: Yasubei conceived the idea of
having special cages manufactured for them. A man named Kondō, vassal to
the Lord Kamei of Honjō-ku, interested himself in the matter, and made
a number of pretty little cages which delighted Yasubei, and secured a
large order from him. The new invention found public favor at once; and
Kondō soon afterwards established the first manufactory of insect-cages.
[Illustration: 1. A FORM OF INSECT CAGE. 2. CAGE FOR LARGE MUSICAL
INSECTS,--_Kirigirisu, Kutsuwamushi, etc._