These are the books I have read and mostly recommend on the subject of The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari), Heian and Kamakura period literature, and about Japan in general. There are brief reviews of some movies too.Heian-era literatureThe Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, by Yasunari Kawabata and DonaldKeene. Japanese and English. Illustrated by Masayuki Miyata.Written in the late ninth or early tenth century, TaketoriMonogatari is referred to in The Tale of Genji as "the ancestorof all romances."Tales of Ise : Lyrical Episodes from 10th Century Japan,Helen Craig McCullough.The tenth-century collection of poems and prose that was already a classicby the time Murasaki wrote The Tale of Genji. The tales (IseMonogatari) aremostly about the amorous exploits of legendary lover, Ariwara Narihira,who authored some of the poems.The Ink Dark Moon : Love Poems by Ono No Komachi and Izumi Shikibu,Women of the Ancient Court of Japan, translated by Jane Hirshfieldwith Mariko Aratani.Poems of passion and longing from two of the Heian era's most famouspoets.The Gossamer Years : the Diary of a Noblewoman of Heian Japan,translated by Edward Seidensticker.Fascinating diary of the minor wife of Fujiwara Kaneie (Michinaga'sfather). Kaneie became regent of Japan and had a string of mistresses.Although the author was one of the three great beauties of the day, therewas little she could do about Kaneie's philandering. Jealous andfrustrated, she wrote about Kaneie, the relationship and her variouspilgrimages to mountain temples. The diary (Kagero Nikki) isthought to have had some influence on Murasaki when she wrote TheGenji.The Tale of Genji [Box Set], translated by Royall Tyler.Illustrations. Notes. Box set.The latest unabridged version of The Tale of Genji (GenjiMonogatari).The Tale of Genji (Penguin Classics), translated by Royall Tyler.Illustrations. Notes.The latest unabridged version of The Tale of Genji in a paperback edition.The Tale of Genji, translated by Edward G.Seidensticker. Illustrated.The unabridged version of The Tale of Genji.The Tale of Genji, translated by Edward G.Seidensticker. Hardcover.The unabridged Everyman's Library version of The Tale of Genji.The Tale of Genji (Tuttle Classics), translated by Arthur Waley.Arthur Waley's original translation of The Tale of Genji.The Tale of Genji, animated VHS movie directed by Gisaburo Sugii. English subtitles.Beautiful and slow-moving anime version of Genji's early life and amorousexploits, paying great attention to detail and authenticity. An unusualproduction aimed at adults, rather than children.The Tale of Genji: Legends and Paintings,Miyeko Murase with illustrations by Mitsuoki Tosa.An introduction to illustation of The Genji, with summaries of all 54chapters and colour plates of original paintings from the Tosa school.Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan, translated by Annie ShepleyOmori and Kochi Doi. Illustrated.Published in 1920, this book was out of print for many years but can now be found in several editions and online. It contains The Sarashina Diary, The Diary ofMurasaki Shikibu and The Diary of Izumi Shikibu - alldiaries of court ladies in the Heian period.As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams : Recollections of a Woman inEleventh-Century Japan, translated by Ivan Morris. Illustrated.The diary (Sarashina Nikki) of a young woman - known as LadySarashina - who travels from the provinces to Kyoto and dreams of livingthe romantic life of a heroine from The Tale of Genji. MurasakiShikibu was Lady Sarashina's aunt.The Diary of Lady Murasaki, translated by Richard Bowring.Part of a diary written by the author of The Tale of Genji. It isthe least interesting of the Heian court ladies' diaries for thegeneral reader.The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, translated by Ivan Morris.Diary (Makura no Soshi) of one of Murasaki's contemporaries atcourt. Full of tart, witty observations and excruciating detail about theminutae of everyday life at court.The Poetic Memoirs of Lady Daibu,translated by Phillip Tudor Harries.The poetry collection (Kenreimon-in Ukyo no Daibu Sho) of a Heiancourt lady with some prose forming a loose narrative framework. Notablemainly because Lady Daibu witnessed the fall of the Taira clan and the endof the Heian era. Her lover, Taira Sukemori, died in the final battlebetween the Taira and the Minamoto, and she knew several of the Tairaleaders who were slain. The translator's introduction is more interestingand easier to follow than the memoir.The Tale of the Heike, translated by Helen C. McCullough. Classic tale, based on fact, of the power struggle between the Minamotoand Taira warrior clans, culminating in the defeat of the Taira and theend of the Heian period. Much of the early action in HeikeMonogatari takes place in Kyoto, Nara and Uji.Classical Japanese Prose : An Anthology, Helen CraigMcCullough.An anthology of Japanese prose, mostly from the Heian and Kamakuraperiods.A great place to sample the literature before buying the books.Contents:The Tale of the Bamboo CutterTales of IseA Tosa Journal (complete)The Gossamer JournalThe Pillow Book of Sei ShonagonA Tale of Flowering FortunesThe Lesser Captain Plucks a Sprig of Flowering CherryThe Lady Who Admired VerminLampblackTales of Times Now PastA Collection of Tales from UjiThe Confessions of Lady NijoThe Journal of the Sixteenth-Night Moon (complete)An Account of My HermitageEssays in IdlenessAn Account of a Journey to the EastThe Clear MirrorThe Great PeaceLittle One-InchAkimichiThe Journey of 1684 (complete)The Narrow Road of the Interior (complete)Okagami, the Great Mirror : Fujiwara Michinaga (966-1027) and hisTimes, translated by Helen Craig McCullough.A historical tale devoted to the life and times of the great FujiwaraMichaniga. The section on the Imperial Annals is rather tedious, but thefollowing sections on the Fujiwara clan are fascinating and contain anunusual amount of dialogue for what is essentially a history.Tale of Flowering Fortunes : Annals of Japanese Aristocratic Life inthe Heian Period, translated by William H. McCullough and Helen CraigMcCullough.Another history of the life of Fujiwara Michinaga and the Heian Era. Knownin Japanese as Eiga Monogatari. The first volume is a detailed butfascinating account of the rise of Michinaga and the workings of marriagepolitics at the Heian court. Since Michinaga becomes a monk at thebeginning of Volume 2, it focuses on Buddhist ceremonies and the funeralsof aristocratic plague victims. It's doom, gloom, and drenched sleeves allthe way.The Changelings: A Classical Japanese Court Tale, translated byRosette Willig.The best of the few remaining examples of giko monogatari, agenre written in imitation of the classic tales. TheChangelings follows the complicated lives of a brother and sisterwho preferred to live as female and male respectively. Many of thecharacters and events have a parallel in The Tale of Genji,particularly in the Uji Chapters. Ages Ago: Thirty-Seven Tales from the Konjaku Monogatari Collection, translated by S. W. Jones.A small selection of tales from the 11th century Konjaku Monogatari, divided into three sections: Indian, Chinese and Japanese tales. Some of the Indian and Chinese stories are Buddhist Jataka Tales and are generally the most interesting. The selection includes stories about Yang Kwei-fei, Bodhidharma and how there came to be a hare in the face of the moon.About the Heian periodThe Tale of Murasaki : A Novel, by Liza Crihfield Dalby.Liza Dalby's wonderful fictionalized biography of Murasaki, based onHeian-era diaries and historical documents. Includes the "missing" lastchapter of Tale of Genji.Dragon Scroll, by I. J. Parker.First book of the Sugawara Akitada detective series, set in 11th century Japan. A minor official at Kyoto's Ministry of Justice is sent upcountry to investigate the disappearance of imperial tax convoys, but he soon uncovers a string of murders that may be connected to a sinister monk. Based on solid research, the Heian world and its inhabitants are vividly brought to life in a fascinating whodunnit. Dragon Scroll is followed byRashomon Gate,Black Arrow,Island of Exiles, Hell Screen, The Convict's Sword and The Masuda Affair.The series is closely modelled on Robert van Gulik's wonderful Judge Dee series, which begins with The Chinese Gold Murders,The Chinese Lake Murders,The Chinese Bell Murders,The Chinese Maze Murders and The Chinese Nail Murders.Tale of Genji : A Reader's Guide, by William J. Puette. Illustrated.Companion and guide to The Tale of Genji.The World of the Shining Prince : Court Life in Ancient Japan,Ivan Morris. Illustrated.Guide to Heian-era Japan and the world of Genji.The Bridge of Dreams: A Poetics of the "Tale of Genji",Haruo Shirane. Illustrated.Detailed commentary on The Tale of Genji.Ukifune : Love in the Tale of Genji,edited by Andrew Pekarik. Photographs.Collection of essays on Ukifune and the Uji chapters of TheTale of Genji.See also A Woman's Weapon : Spirit Possession in the Tale of Genji.History of Japan to 1334, George Sansom. Illustrated.Slightly dated scholarship from this British scholar-diplomat, but still asuperb history of Japan from the earliest times through to the Kamakuraperiod.Murasaki Shikibu, The Tale of Genji - A Student Guide,Richard Bowring.A very useful guide to The Tale.A Floating Life: The Adventures of Li Po,Simon Elegant.Fictionalized biography of the rambunctious T'ang Dynasty poet, Li Po, whowas an eyewitness to the Yang Kwei-fei affair which so entranced Heiancourtiers in Japan.Princess Yang Kwei Fei, colour VHS movie directed by KenjiMizoguchi. 1956. Japanese with English subtitles. Also available as a rare double DVD set in PAL Region 2 format on Amazon and Amazon UK.Relates the famous love story about an emperor and his concubine, and howthe affair led to the fall of the T'ang Dynasty in eighth-century China.In Murasaki's novel, both Genji and his father are compared to theemperor, and the story is mentioned in several other works of Heianliterature. The Magnificent Concubine (aka "Yang Kwei Fei"), DVD directed by Li Han-hsiang. 1960. Mandarin with English subtitles. Remastered.Lavish Chinese production recounting the final events in Yang Kwei-Fei's life: the frivolous intrigues, the emperor's obsession with her and his subsequent neglect of affairs of state. Li Li-hua plays Lady Yang just as one imagines her - voluptuous, attractive and strong-willed. But ultimately she pays the price for being the means by which her corrupt brother becomes Prime Minister.See also The Passion of Yang Kwei-Fei and The Yang Kuei-Fei Legend in Japanese Literature.Onmyoji, DVD directed by Yojiro Takita. Japanese withEnglish subtitles.Fictional tale of real-life yin-yang sorcery master, Abe no Seimei, a Heian-era contemporary ofMurasaki. Although a fantasy tale of sorcery, romance and revenge,Onmyoji occasionally provides some of the flavour of Tale ofGenji. The sequel, Onmyoji II, continued with a Heian take on the Japanese creation myth. Shonen Onmyouji Vol 1, DVD of TV anime series. Japanese or English soundtrack with English subtitles.The fictional adventures of yin-yang master Abe no Seimei's young grandson as he trains to be a great Onmyoji. The series features authentic Heian-era settings, clothes, and some historical characters such as Fujiwara no Michinaga.The Heike Story: A Modern Translation of the Classic Tale of Love and War,Eiji Yoshikawa.Wonderful retelling of the Tale of the Heike and the life of Taira Kiyomori during the final years of the Heian era. Taira Clan Saga, DVD directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. Japanese withEnglish subtitles.Surprisingly gripping movie about the early life of Taira Kiyomori, covering the first half of the book, The Heike Story.Kamakura periodThe Confessions of Lady Nijo, Karen Brazell.The remarkably frank memoir (Towazugatari) of a Kamakura-periodcourt lady who was daughter of the chieftain of the Minamoto (Genji) clanand concubine of Retired Emperor Go-Fukakusa. The first part of the storyreads like a racy version of Tale of Genji. The second part detailsLady Nijo's travels as a nun, her longing for her previous life at court,and her complex feelings for the emperor, who she eventually meets againat Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu and at Fushimi-inari. Highly recommended. The Tale of Saigyo, Meredith McKinney. Illustrated. A partly fictionalized biography of the poet-monk Saigyo, including hispoetry. Saigyo's travels were later to inspire the Edo-period haiku poet,Matsuo Basho, who retraced several of his journeys.The Clear Mirror : A Chronicle of the Japanese Court During theKamakura Period (1185-1333), translated by George W. Perkins.An account of Japanese history from 1185 to 1333 (the Kamakura Period), astold by an ancient and fictitious nun. Known in Japanese asMasukagami, the narrative is at its best when describing the exileof emperors who defied the shogun.Princess Mononoke, colour DVD animated movie directed by HayaoMiyazaki. Dubbed in English or French.Probably the greatest animated feature ever made. Set in the medievalperiod, it depicts the encroachment of technology - in the shape of ironforges and guns - into rural communities, and the effect that has on thegods and spirits of the forest. Aimed at teens and adults.Edo period and the Meiji RestorationHistory of Japan, 1615-1867, George Sansom. Illustrated.Comprehensive history of Japan covering the Edo period up the the MeijiRestoration.Samurai William : The Englishman Who Opened Japan, Giles Milton.Illustrated.Rip-roaring tale of William Adams, who in 1600 became the firstEnglishman to set foot in Japan, and subsequently rose to the highest levels of the shogun's court. Based on real people and events, this isa book that's hard to put down.The Life of an Amorous Man, Ihara Saikaku.First published in 1682, this Edo-period novel is almost as well known inJapan as The Tale of Genji. It follows the erotic adventures ofa merchant in and around Kyoto. One episode involves a young lady"accidentally" getting her robe caught on the hero's sword at Ishiyama-dera temple, but the author seems torun out of ideas after the first third of the book.See also Shank's Mare, Japan's greatest comic novel of travel and ribaldry, byIkku Jippensha. Musui's Story : The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai,Katsu Kokichi, translated by Craig Teruko.A lively and amusing autobiography of a low-ranking Edo samurai who ranbrothel protection rackets, lied, cheated, stole, begged and brawled inthe streets. But Katsu had a heart of gold and his son Rintaro laterbecame commander of the shogun's navy and a key figure in the MeijiRestoration.The Tokaido Road,Lucia St. Clair Robson.A gripping novel about an Edo-period aristocrat's daughter trying to avenge herfather's death. Based on the tale of the 47 Ronin.Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches,Matsuo Basho.Linked prose and poetry as Japan's most famous haiku poet, Matsuo Basho(1644-1694), follows in the footsteps taken by Heian-era poet-priest,Saigyo. Also known as Narrow Road to the Interior.See also Basho's The Narrow Road to Oku with illustrations by Masayuki Miyata.Chushingura, DVD directed by Hiroshi Inagaki. Japanese withEnglish subtitles.The famous tale of the 47 Ronin who avenged their insulted lord, in colour and with Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura in strong supporting roles. Samurai Trilogy, DVD box set directed by Hiroshi Inagaki. Japanese with English subtitles.The true story of Musashi Miyamoto, Japan's most famous swordsman, in colour in three parts: Musashi Miyamoto, Duel at Ichijoji Temple and Duel at Ganryu Island. Drunk as a Lord: Samurai Stories, Ryotaro Shiba.Four fictionalized tales of powerful daimyo and their partin events leading up to the Meiji Restoration. Ryoma : Life of a Renaissance Samurai,Romulus Hillsborough. Photographs.Literary biography of Restoration hero, Sakamoto Ryoma, the swaggeringswordsman who helped engineer the downfall of the shogun and the return toimperial rule.Sakamoto Ryoma and the Meiji Restoration,Marius B. Jansen.The story of the Meiji Restoration and the part played in it by Tosasamurai, Sakamoto Ryoma and Nakaoka Shintaro.The Last Shogun : The Life of Tokugawa Yoshinobu,Ryotaro Shiba.Fascinating portrait of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the 15th and last shogun ofJapan, who relinquished his title and retired to a life ofrelative obscurity, enabling the transition to imperial rule in 1868.A Diplomat in Japan, Sir Ernest Satow.Remarkable memoir by an interpreter at the British Legation in Yokohamaduring the Meiji Restoration. Satow knew many of the key figures in theRestoration and to some extent was a player himself. He wrote an"unauthorised" pamphlet which anti-Shogun samurai believed was a messagethat the British government supported their aims.After the Meiji RestorationThe Yamato Dynasty : The Secret History of Japan's Imperial Family,Sterling Seagrave, Peggy Seagrave. Photographs.Racy account of the Japanese imperial family since the Meiji Restoration,with particular emphasis on World War II and its aftermath. Depends toomuch on second-hand sources, gossip and innuendo, but is difficult to putdown.The Rape of Nanking : The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II,Iris Chang. Photographs.Harrowing but even-handed and well-researched examination of the factssurrounding Japan's occupation of Nanking in the 1930s and the subsequentatrocities that took place.Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II,John W. Dower. Photographs.Meticulously researched account of how the Japanese coped with theaftermath of World War II and the American occupation. The book won aPulitzer Prize.The Rise of Modern Japan, W. G. Beasley.A detailed study of political and economic change in Japan since 1850.Dogs and Demons: Tales from the Dark Side of Japan, Alex Kerr.A refreshing and sometimes amusing look at the cause of Japan's currenteconomic and cultural malaise, from the author of LostJapan.The Enigma of Japanese Power, Karel Van Wolferen.The book to read if you want to know who runs Japan, whatthey are trying to achieve and why the country is in such a mess.Highly recommended.Japanese culture and peopleJapan : A Short Cultural History, George Sansom. Illustrated.The history of Japanese culture. Provides a fascinating insight as to whatmakes Japanese the way they are. Large sections are devoted to the Nara,Heian and Kamakura periods.Chrysanthemum and the Sword : Patterns of Japanese Culture,Ruth Benedict.A well-known study of the political, religious, and economic life ofJapan, with special reference to the Pacific War.Mirror, Sword and Jewel: A Study of Japanese Characteristics,Kurt Singer.An enlightening examination of the essence of Japanese culture by a Germanacademic who taught in Tokyo during the turbulent 1930s.Pink Samurai, Nicholas Bornoff.An exploration of Japanese attitudes towards sex and relationships fromthe earliest myths and legends to present-day prostitution. Everythingyou could ever want to know about the erotic side of Japan.Japan : True Stories of Life on the Road,edited by Donald W. George.An excellent selection of tales about foreigners' experiences in Japan, byauthors such as Donald Richie and Alan Booth.Lost Japan, Alex Kerr.A revealing personal view of contemporary Japan, by someone who has spent30 years there.Speed Tribes : Days and Nights With Japan's Next Generation,Taro Greenfeld.A hip and totally absorbing look at the fringe elements of contemporaryJapanese society - yakuza, right-wing militarists, porn stars and bikergangs.The Lady and the Monk : Four Seasons in Kyoto,Pico Ayer.The charming story of how Time Magazine essayist Pico Ayer went lookingfor Zen in Kyoto, but found romance. The author subsequently made his homein Nara.Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur S. Golden.Arthur Golden's skillfully crafted novel about a young geisha infatuatedwith a much older man. Based on many years of research into thelife of Kyoto geisha.See also Liza Dalby's Geisha and Kenji Mizoguchi's film The Sisters of the Gion (1936).36 Views of Mount Fuji : On Finding Myself in Japan,Cathy N. Davidson.Refreshingly different viewpoint from a female American teacher who spentseveral years in Japan and found the culture both baffling andcharming.Learning to Bow : Inside the Heart of Japan, Bruce S.Feiler.A wonderful story of an American exchange teacher's year at asmall-town high school north of Tokyo, with an inside view of how Japanesechildren are taught to be Japanese.A Japanese Mirror : Heroes and Villains of Japanese Culture,Ian Buruma. Photographs.A fascinating look at Japanese culture through its popular heroes andvillains.The Wages of Guilt : Memories of War in Germany and Japan, IanBuruma.A comparison of attitudes between German and Japanese people towardstheir countries' actions in World War 2.Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan, JakeAdelstein.Riveting true-life tale of the yakuza from a Japanese-speaking American investigative journalist.Travel in JapanLooking for the Lost : Journeys Through a Vanishing Japan,Alan Booth.Booth retraces three journeys through Japan originally made byliterary and military figures.The Roads to Sata : A 2000-Mile Walk Through Japan,Alan Booth.Booth walks from Japan's northern-most point to its southern tip and tellsus much about the places and the people along the way.The Inland Sea, Donald Richie.Donald Richie's observations on Japan's Inland Sea and the people who live there, recently republished after 30 years. This is Richie at his best. A DVD documentary on The Inland Sea is also available.The Traveler's Guide to Japanese Pilgrimages,Ed Readicker-Henderson. Photos. Maps.An excellent guide for those contemplating the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimageor the Kobo Daishi pilgrimage on Shikoku.Making Pilgrimages: Meaning and Practice in Shikoku,Ian Reader. Photos.Everything you need to know about the 88-temple Shikoku Pilgrimage.Exploring Kyoto : On Foot Through the Ancient Capital,Judith Clancy. Photographs. Maps.Incredibly useful guide to the temples, shrines and places of historicalinterest in Kyoto. Full of excellent maps and ideas for walking tours. Agood companion to a Lonely Planet type of guidebook.Gateway to Japan (Kodansha Guide),June Kinoshita, Nicholas Palevsky. Maps and diagrams.The best all-round guide to Japan, its history and culture. Has a goodsection on what to see in Kyoto, but was last published in 1998 with nonew editions in sight.Lonely Planet Kyoto Travel Guide,Chris Rowthorn. Photographs. Maps.Sixth edition (September 2015) of the best guide to the area of Japanwhere The Tale of Genji was set. This latest edition includesinformation on day-trips to Osaka.Kyoto-Osaka a Bilingual Atlas, by Kodansha.Very useful book of bilingual maps covering the Kyoto-Osaka area, plusKobe, Nagoya, Nara, Lake Biwa and rail systems.Japanese ReligionBuddhist Images (Hoikusha Colour Book Series), by Taikichi Irie andShigeru Aoyma. Photographs. Maps.Indispensible guide to the ancient Buddhist statuary found in theKyoto-Nara area of Japan, with notes on the various deities'distinguishing attributes and mudras (hand positions).The Buddhist Tradition : In India, China and Japan, byWilliam Theodore de Bary.The definitive story of Buddhism's spread from India to Central Asia,across China and finally to Japan. The story is presented as a seriesof important Buddhist texts with linking commentaries and explanations, with India, China and Japan each taking up about one third of the book. Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana, Tendai, Shingon, Pure Land (Amidist),Zen and Nichiren schools and sects are all covered. Probably the bestwork available describing how and why Japanese Buddhism developed.Bodhisattva of Compassion : The Mystical Tradition of Kuan Yin, byJohn Blofeld. Photographs.A personal investigation into the tradition of worshipping Kuan Yin(the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, known as Kannon in Japan) and the Pure Land faith in China.A History of Japanese Religion, by Kazuo Kasahara. Photographs.A complete guide to religion in Japan.Shinto - The Kami Way, by Sokyo Ono.An excellent introduction to the uniquely Japanese faith of Shinto.Book Hotels in Japan[ japanese temples links tale of genji home books kyoto guide ]Copyright 2001-2017 www.taleofgenji.org
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