The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu, often described as the world's oldest long novel, still captivates readers more than 1000 years after it was first compiled. Waseda University Library's The Tale of Genji Collection now includes the Kuyō Bunko (Bunko no. 30), which we are pleased to make available.
The Kuyō Bunko is a vast collection of materials originally assembled by the renowned scholar of The Tale of Genji Nakano Kōichi, Waseda University Professor Emeritus. Thanks to Professor Nakano's generosity, the Genji-related materials are now held by the Waseda University Library.
The Tale of Genji materials form a fascinating collection that includes pre-1600 manuscript texts, early modern woodblock printed texts, and a wide variety of illustrative materials, all esteemed by scholars; at the same time, the materials convincingly reveal the extent to which The Tale of Genji has been read by a wide variety of people down through the ages. We invite you to enjoy to the fullest the still colorful world depicted in this court tale.
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