Bakin

Bakin is a term with several possible referents, depending on context. In literary history, it most notably denotes the pen name of a prominent Edo-period Japanese novelist, Kyokutei Bakin. The name uses the kanji read as “Bakin” and is associated with influential works that helped shape early modern Japanese fiction.

The pen name comes from the combination of the characters 馬琴, read as Bakin, which appears in the author’s literary alias along with Kyokutei (曲亭) as a title. The writer associated with this name is best known for the long, multi-volume epic Nanso Satomi Hakkenden, a work that played a significant role in popular narratives of its era and influenced later Japanese storytelling. Bakin’s career spanned the late 18th to the mid-19th century, placing him in the literary transitions of the Edo period.

Beyond this historical reference, the term Bakin may appear as a surname or given-name element in various contexts, particularly where romanization of Japanese names is involved. In non-Japanese contexts, however, there is no single, widely recognized non-orthographic meaning for “Bakin,” and usage is typically clarified by accompanying information.

In summary, Bakin most reliably refers to the Edo-period author Kyokutei Bakin and, by extension, to his literary corpus. See also Kyokutei Bakin and Nanso Satomi Hakkenden for related topics.