Classical Tales of Old Japan.
Tokyo: Japan Times Office, 1898. Wraps. Charming Meiji era book of 12 classical Japanese tales translated into English, with color folding frontispiece and 12 wonderful full page b&w woodcut illustrations. The preface states that the tales, "form a part of the life of the nation ... they are read .. by all those who value the old samurai standards of morality and culture. ... They are to Japan what Homer was to the Greeks, what Shakespeare is to the student of English literature."
Each tale is accompanied by a black and white full page illustration with caption. The frontispiece is a folding color woodblock depicting a young woman in pale blue kimono doing calligraphy in an interior setting.
The 12 tales include The Painter Matahei and His Zeal; The Gate of Ataka; Ordeal by 'Koto'; The Japanese 'Romeo and Juliet'; The 'Pot-trees' (Hachinoki); A Private School- Loyalty in Olden Days; Hikohichi Omori; The White Banner of Genji - The 'Arm-bearing' Village; The Novice's Trial; How the Brothers Soga Avenged the Death of their Father; The Sprite of the Willow-Tree; and The 'Kirihitoha,' or Death of Katagiri.
Small 8vo, 80pp. Printed color pictorial paper wrappers, with 2 silk stab ties. Rear wrapper a bit dusty; internally bright and clean. OCLC: 8175353 records 7 copies. Very good overall. Item #24367
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