The journal published a number of literary serials. In the 1890s, the newspaper had established a reputation for carrying translated or adapted versions of Western novels; but the advent of the First Sino-Japanese War became, in part, a cause for a shift in emphasis to featuring the work of Japanese writers.[6]
One of these was Daibosatsu Toge by Nakazato Kaizan.[1] The work was presented to the public in 41 volumes; and it contains 1533 chapters. This historical novel was the longest in the Japanese language until Tokugawa Ieyasu. 5.7 million Japanese characters.[7]