Fair antique condition. The original cover pages are in quite poor condition, with water damage and insect damage consistent with more than two centuries of age. Despite the condition of the paper, the woodblock impressions remain sharp, the illustrations retain their clarity, and the images are still remarkably vivid and visually striking.
This original woodblock-printed illustrated book was published in 1808 (Bunka 5) by Yamanaka Zuikindō of Kyoto. Titled Ehon Monogusa Tarō (絵本物草太郎), it was written by Seishū Sanjin and illustrated by Aikawa Minwa as part of a ten-volume yomihon series.
The story is based on the medieval Otogizōshi tale of Monogusa Tarō, following the adventures of its unlikely hero through battles, supernatural encounters, and legendary exploits. Throughout the book, dramatic monochrome woodblock illustrations depict warriors, demons, ghosts, court nobles, and other figures drawn from Japanese folklore and heroic literature, accompanied by extensive prose narrative.
First published in 1808, this is the earliest known printed edition of the work. Although the story itself originated during the Muromachi period, it was reimagined for Edo readers through the collaboration of Seishū Sanjin and Aikawa Minwa, one of Kyoto's leading book illustrators of the late Edo period.
The volume was published by Yamanaka Zuikindō, one of Kyoto's major publishing houses, whose catalog included many of the period's best-known historical and legendary illustrated books. The publisher's catalog at the rear advertises other celebrated titles, including Ehon Ushiwaka Monogatari, Ehon Chūshingura, Shirayito Monogatari, and Konpira Shinreiki, offering a fascinating glimpse into the popular reading culture of early nineteenth-century Japan.
An important original Bunka-era publication that preserves both a classic medieval Japanese tale and the exceptional craftsmanship of Edo-period woodblock book production.
