Japanese Kabuki Stories: Tales of Love and Death from the Japanese Theater

This beautiful book celebrates the Japanese kabuki tradition--presenting fifteen classic tales of tragic love and fatal passion that are frequently performed on the kabuki stage in Japan. These dramatic tales are stunningly illustrated with full-color woodblock prints by master artists including Hiroshige, Hokusai, Utamaro, Kuniyoshi and Kunisada, along with photographs of modern kabuki performances.

The tales in this book include:

• "Love Suicides at Amijima: " Jihei, a married merchant and Koharu, a prostitute, fall deeply in love. Jihei cannot afford to buy her out, so the only solution is for them to commit double suicide
• "The Love of Genji, the Shining Prince: " A stage version of Japan's classic Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki Shikibu, which follows the romantic exploits of Genji, the son of Emperor Kiritsubo
• "The Magic Helmet: " Princess Yaegaki mourns for her dead husband Katsuyori but one day she notices a new samurai in the household who looks just like him. It is indeed Katsuyori, who has adopted a disguise to prevent himself being killed. Now Yaegaki must struggle to save him!
• Plus 12 other stories!