Nippon sankai meisan zue (1799) has long been considered an unparalleled document for its illustrations and depictions of early modern production sites. But unlike the illustrated guidebooks called “meisho zue,” with which it has many features in common, this book has not yet received much attention. It is known that it was originally designed by Hirase Tessai, as a sequel to his Nippon sankai meibutsu zue (1754), and that Shitomi Kangetsu (1747–1797), a prominent Osaka painter, was in charge of the illustrations. But the identity of those who completed the text after the death of Tessai and Kangetsu remains unclear. In particular, the role played by Kimura Kenkadō, the author of the foreword, has always been a matter of debate. The present article aims to achieve a better understanding of the work by tracing its genealogy, and situating it within the cultural context of late 18 th -century Osaka. Attention will be focused on: 1) Kenkadō’s discourse in the foreword, 2) the afterword, and its author Hata (Murakami) Sekiden, who is to be considered the final editor of the book, 3) its relationship with Nippon sankai meibutsu zue, and 4) Shitomi Kangetsu’s profile. Two features of the work are particularly highlighted: Nippon sankai meisan zue draws much of its content and inspiration from Honzō treatises, such as Honzō kōmoku (1596), as well as from Tenkō kaibutsu (1637), a late Ming encyclopedia of manufacturing techniques. It is the out- come of both the huge commercial success of the “meisho zue” genre and the rise of ambitious Osaka booksellers in the late eighteenth century. In an addendum, some further reflection is proposed on the editorial process of Nippon sankai meisan zue, using a manuscript of the Kyōu shooku library titled Hiraga Gennai bussankō.