Yamato monogatari shusho 大和物語首書

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 59 16055.cc.2
  • Dates of Creation
      1657
  • Language of Material
      Japanese
  • Physical Description
      2 volumes Condition: Good, apart from a few stains. No worm damage. Impression: For the most part atozuri, but with some pages apparently printed from recut blocks. Illustrations: A total of 25 single-page sumizuri woodcuts, distributed as follows: (satsu 1) ff. 4b, 11b, 17b, 24a, 29a; (2) ff. 5b, 7a, 14a, 20a, 29a; (3) ff. 8b, 11b, 16b, 22a, 24b; (4) ff. 3b, 10a, 17a, 31a, 36b; (5) ff. 2a, 9a, 15b, 27b, 33b. Seals of ownership: Small square red seal (undeciphered), printed inkoku, on first page of each former satsu.

Scope and Content

Alternative reading of title: Yamato monogatari kashiragaki. Author/compiler: Wada Ietsu 和田以悦. Imprint: [Kyōto] , Tanioka Shichizaemon, Meireki 3, 1657. Kanki on fol. 39 of maki 下之二 reads: 明曆三丁酉季仲春吉辰 / 谷岡七左衛門板行. Description: 2 kan, formerly in 5 satsu, later rebound Japanese-style in 2 satsu, in a slipcase. (Satsu 1 maki 上之一) ff. 4 (preface 序), 29; (2 maki 上之二) ff. 29; (3 maki 上之三) ff. 29; (4 maki 下之一) ff. 39; (5 maki 下之二) ff. 39. 22.6 x 15.9 cm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 17.5 x 12.1 cm. (average). Single-line borders round each individual page, with horizontal rules dividing upper third from lower two-thirds of each page. No fishtail design on hanshin. Hiragana-majiri text, with some furigana, dakuten and printed interlinear notes, occupying lower part of each page. Commentary in hiragana-majiri, interspersed with some kanbun, in upper third of each page. 11 lines to page (main text), 18 lines (commentary), variable no. of characters to line. Buff covers, probably original, with original printed title slips placed centrally. Gedai: Yamato monogatari narabini kashiragaki 大和物語并首書 + handwritten satsu numbers (1, 2 on present satsu 1; 3, 4, 5 on present satsu 2). Naidai at head of each satsu: Yamato monogatari 大和物語. Hashiragaki: Ya や + original satsu no. + folio no. Edition: The only pre-modern edition recorded. Contents: Text of Yamato monogatari, edited with commentary in the form of headnotes by Wada Ietsu 和田以悦. This Meireki 3 (1657) edition of the work, without the commentary but with all illustrations reproduced, is reprinted in Heianchō monogatarishū 平安朝物語集 (Yūhōdō bunko 有朋堂文庫), pp. 133-265.

Access Information

Not Public Record(s)

Unrestricted

Acquisition Information

Acquired from Rinrōkaku, 3 Oct. 1961.

Other Finding Aids

Kenneth Gardner, Descriptive Catalogue of Japanese books in the British Library printed before 1700 (London and Tenri, 1993). C. Japanese works 和書 5. Literature - fiction 国文-小説 a. Early monogatari 古物語

Bibliography

Nihon koten bungaku daijiten 日本古典文学大辞典, vol. 6, p. 88; Yamato monogatari no chūshaku to kenkyū 大和物語の註釈と研究, p. 569.