The Japanese collections at OSU hold a wide range of contemporary and historic editions of the famous Genji Monogatari. Among these is a rare and historically significant set of A New Translation of The Tale of Genji (Shin’yaku Genji monogatari), published in 1912 by the renowned feminist writer Yosano Akiko (与謝野晶子, 1878–1942). Held in the Rare Books and Manuscript Library, this set represents a pivotal moment in the reception of Genji Monogatari, as Yosano boldly transformed the Genji Monogatari into a modern-language masterpiece that could be easily appreciated by all.
The four books that make up Shin’yaku Genji Monogatari.
Image courtesy of The Lavenberg Collection of Japanese Prints
Her translation was both a scholarly achievement and an uncommon intervention, offering a fresh poetic rendering of Genji at a time when it was largely studied through a male-centric academic lens. As a first edition, this set is exceptionally rare and an invaluable resource for scholars, students, and enthusiasts of Japanese literature.
