Miniature books on show in Akita Prefecture city
15:50 JST, July 17, 2022
AKITA — An exhibition showcasing about 900 miniature books has opened in Yokote, Akita Prefecture.
The items on display were originally collected by Yuhoshi Takahashi (1899-1996), a haiku poet and former head of the Masuda town board of education. The local government purchased Takahashi’s collection before the town merged with Yokote.
Although the books fit in the palm of one’s hand, they contain characters and pictures like ordinary versions. The collection includes poetry books, folk tales and literary masterpieces, as well as dictionaries and single-page newspaper special editions. One book on display is small enough to fit on a fingertip.
Miniature books have been widely produced in Japan since the late Edo period (1603-1867). The popularity grew especially in the postwar period, and a wide variety of books were produced in various regions of Japan, each with its own local style. They are not published in large quantities like ordinary books, so there are many enthusiastic collectors.
The exhibition runs through to Sunday at the Tamokuteki Kenshu Center in the city’s Masuda district. It is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
M6.0 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Tohoku Region; Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi Prefectures Observe 4 on Japanese Scale With No Risk of Tsunami
-
Strong Earthquake Rocks near Tokyo; Saitama and Tochigi Prefectures Observe Lower 5 Quake on Japan’s Seismic Scale of 7 (UPDATE 1)
-
Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
-
Whaling Mother Ship Built in Japan for 1st Time in 73 Years
-
Tsunami Advisory for Okinawa Lifted at Noon (UPDATE 2)
JN ACCESS RANKING
- Japan Lags in Efforts to Gain Value from Human Resources; Govt Working to Increase Usage
- Bank of Japan Governor: Mortgages Not Expected to Rise Significantly After End to Negative Interest Rate Policy
- Nikkei Stock Average Hits Record High
- M6.0 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Tohoku Region; Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi Prefectures Observe 4 on Japanese Scale With No Risk of Tsunami
- Cherry Blossoms Draw Crowd to Tokyo’s Ueno Park; Viewing Season Kicks Off to Slow Start