Author/compiler: Unknown. Imprint: N.p., n.d. [early Edo period] . No colophon. Description: 23 kan, formerly in 23 satsu, now rebound in 3 vols. western style. (Vol. 1) maki 1-6; (vol. 2) maki 7-14; (vol. 3) maki 15-23. Folios unnumbered. 15.7 x 22.2 cm. Yokohon (oblong format). Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 12.5 x 20.5 cm. (average). No borders. No printed hanshin. Hiragana-majiri text, with printed furigana and dakuten. 13 lines to page, 11-13 characters to line. Original dark blue front covers, with painted designs of plants in silver, of maki 1 (Bunshō-zōshi 文正草子), maki 7 (Nanakusa sōshi 七草草子) and maki 15 (Nosezaru sōshi のせ猿草子) only. Original title slips, centrally placed, with printed gedai as above. No naidai. No overall title. In a western style half-leather binding. Edition: An early, probably early Edo period (17th century), edition. Contents: A collection of 23 unsophisticated tales on various themes, forming a link between the classic monogatari of Heian and Kamakura periods and the shorter kana-zōshi of early Edo period. The stories were probably written originally for women and young people. A selection of the many such tales circulating in manuscript form (including emakimono and narae-hon 奈良絵本) during the Muromachi and early Edo period was made by publishers and issued as a set of 23 otogi-zōshi or otogi bunko 御伽文庫. The set comprises the following titles: Bunshō-zōshi 文正草子, Hachikazuki, 鉢かづき, Komachi no sōshi 小町草紙, Onzōshi shimawatari 御曹子島渡り, Karaito-zōshi 唐糸草紙, Kowata-gitsune 木幡狐, Nanakusa sōshi 七草草紙, Saru-Genji sōshi 猿源氏草紙, Monokusa-tarō 物くさ太郎, Sazareishi さざれ石, Hamaguri no sōshi 蛤の草子, Ko Atsumori 小敦盛, Nijūshi kō 二十四孝 , Bondenkoku 梵天國, Nosezaru sōshi のせ猿草子, Neko no sōshi 猫の草紙, Hamaide 濱出, Izumi Shikibu 和泉式部, Issun-bōshi 一寸法師, Saiki さいき, Urashima Tarō 浦島太郎, Yokobue no sōshi 横笛草紙 and Shuten dōji 酒呑童子.
Otogi-zōshi 御伽草子
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- ReferenceGB 59 Or.75.g.15
- Dates of Creation[1600-1700]
- Language of MaterialJapanese
- Physical Description1 volume Condition: Excellent. A clean, little-used copy without stains or worm damage. Impression: Atozuri, from slightly worn blocks. Illustrations: Copiously illustrated with sumizuri woodcuts of simple, archaistic style. 6 to 10 illustrations (single-page), on average, to each maki. Seals of ownership: Oblong red seal of Sir Ernest Satow (his smaller seal), 英國薩道藏書, on mikaeshi of maki 1, 7 and 15.
Scope and Content
Access Information
Not Public Record(s)
Unrestricted
Acquisition Information
Donated to the British Museum by (Sir) Ernest M. Satow 13 June 1885.
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 e. Muromachi jidai monogatari 室町時代物語
Bibliography
Nihon koten bungaku daijiten 日本古典文学大辞典, vol. 1, p. 498; Zushoryō tenseki kaidai, bungaku hen 図書寮典籍解題•文学篇, p. 133; Otogi-zōshi 御伽草子 (Nihon koten bungaku taikei 日本古典文学大系, vol. 38); Tenri toshokan kisho mokuroku 天理図書館稀書目録, vol. 2, p. 179.