The Usei-kai (雨声会)
The Usei-kai, which lasted for three days, from June 17th (Monday) to June 19th (Wednesday), 1907, is the name given to an evening banquet held by Kinmochi SAIONJI, then prime minister, at his private residence in Kandasurugadai, to which he invited various Japanese literati. Note that the name "Usei-kai" (literally "rain sound party") was coined after the fact. This is said to be the first time since the start of the Meiji period that the prime minister of the entire nation invited people of letters to such an event.
The literati invited to the banquet
List of invitees:
Soseki NATSUME
Toson SHIMAZAKI
Doppo KUNIKIDA
Katai TAYAMA
Shusei TOKUDA
Tengai KOSUGI
Ogai MORI
Shoyo TSUBOUCHI
Ryuro HIROTSU
Shun'yo YANAGAWA
Bizan KAWAKAMI
Fuyo OGURI
Shimei FUTABATEI
Kyoka IZUMI
Chugai GOTO
Sazanami IWAYA
Jushien TSUKAHARA
Roan UCHIDA, and
Keigetsu OMACHI, among others.
However, three invitees, namely Natsume, Futabatei, and Tsubouchi, were not in attendance.
The Usei-kai was first held in 1907, and was subsequently held several more times.
Organizers of the banquet included Yosaburo TAKEKOSHI, Kunikida, and Iwaya.
The fact that Suiin EMI and Roku TOKUTOMI were not invited was much lamented in newspapers of the day, and the party also gave rise to many other rumors and social gossip.