In the late 19th century, during the vibrant Meiji era, a pioneering Tokyo publisher named Hasegawa Takejirō (1853–1938) embarked on an extraordinary cultural mission. Recognizing the growing global fascination with Japan, Hasegawa sought to bridge the East and the West by translating traditional Japanese folklore into Western languages. The result was a legendary collection of traditional Japanese folktales — a series of exquisitely crafted masterworks that enchanted readers worldwide and became widely known as the Japanese Fairy Tale Series.

Hasegawa’s brilliance lay in his refusal to compromise on artistic quality. He gathered the finest talents of his generation to bring these ancient oral traditions to life. To render the texts into English with poetic clarity and historical charm, he commissioned renowned Western scholars and orientalists, most notably David Thompson, Basil Hall Chamberlain, and Lafcadio Hearn.

Even more spectacular was the visual presentation. Hasegawa employed celebrated master artists of the Ukiyo-e and Nihonga movements—such as Kobayashi Eitaku, Toyohara Chikanobu, and Suzuki Kason — to create the illustrations. Every page was a seamless synthesis of storytelling and fine art. The English texts and dramatic, colorful imagery were meticulously hand-carved onto traditional wooden blocks by master craftsmen, making the lettering an inseparable, living part of the artwork itself.

Originally, these volumes were printed on fine mulberry paper and then underwent a complex, labor-intensive process of manual crinkling to produce chirimen-bon (crepe-paper books), giving them a unique, cloth-like texture. Because the initial print runs were small and sold primarily to international visitors, well-preserved original editions have become exceptionally scarce and highly collectible treasures.

This premium edition, compiled under the direction of Shigeru Yahara, pays faithful tribute to Hasegawa’s magnificent heritage. The historical woodblock prints and integrated hand-carved texts in this volume have been lovingly and meticulously restored by hand. By cleaning every ancient line and reviving the brilliance of the original Meiji-era color palettes, this edition proudly preserves the authentic soul, visual depth, and historic elegance of Old Japan for generations to come.

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BOOK DETAILS

Publisher ‏:    Yahara Press (2026)
Language :   English
Paperback : ‎ 40 pages / 11 x 8.25 inches