Limited edition, no.11 of 50 copies, signed. Ten kappa-zuri stencil-dyed plates, plus title page and colophon in kappa-zuri also, text in letterpress. Folio, measuring 310 by 240mm. Modified yamato-toji binding, quarter stencil printed paper-covered boards with printed title slip over green brocade silk, complete with printed card box, rubbing to box and loss to bottom edge of box lid, the book itself a fine copy. Unpaginated [17]ff. Tokyo, Aozonoso, Showa 18 [i.e, 1943.
A superb production limited to 50 copies: Sekino Junichiro's illustrated version of the Saiyuki, or the Journey to the West.
This is a famous 16th century Chinese text, which is thought to have been first translated into Japanese in the 18th century, and much later into English by Arthur Waley (1889–1966) under the title Monkey: A Folk-Tale of China (1942). The story follows a Buddhist monk named Tan Sanzang, or Tripitaka, (based on the 7th century monk Xuanzang), who travels from China to India in search of precious sutras. He is accompanied by three companions who protect him along the way: Sun Wukong the 'Monkey King', Sha Wujing the 'Sand Monk' and Zhu Bajie, the 'Pig Monk'. Across the 100 chapters, the four protagonists embark on an epic journey filled with adventures and obstacles they must overcome together.
This book was printed by Sekino and bound by Naito Masakatsu (dates unknown), and according to the colophon it was the publisher Aozonoso's 17th title. The book was privately circulated and there is a note to say that the book is not for sale. Regardless, this would have been an immensely costly production, made even more impressive by the wartime context. The paper is of especially high quality and clearly no expense has been spared.
Very rare. Only one copy in OCLC (National Diet Library, Tokyo).
