In the exhibition, the two main groups of "Folktale" and "Story (children's literature)" are exhibited according to basic plot developments of folktales (hero/heroine's unusual birth, adventures or challenges, amazing friends or fairy godmothers and happy ending) and help you understand relations and contrasts between folktales and children's literature.

Title:  Jack and the Bean-stalk  from "The bluebeard picture book" Illustrations: Walter Crane  Imprint: G. Routledge, 1875? NDL Call No.: VZ1-284

"Jack and the Bean-stalk" is an English folktale very familiar to Japanese.  Jack is a poor boy who lives with his mother.  One day he climbs up a beanstalk that has grown up to Heaven. He goes to a giant's house and steals a hen that lays golden eggs and other treasures from the giant. 

Walter Crane is one of the most popular English illustrators of the second half of the 19th century.  With Kate Greenaway and Randolph Caldecott, he established the genre of picture books for children.  The characteristics of his illustrations are decorative frames, use of black and exquisite depiction of, for example, dresses and furniture.  His work was influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites and by Japanese woodblock prints.

Title:   [Hachikazuki] Designer: Unknown Date: mid-Edo period   (ca. 17th century) Volume: 1 Size: 16 cm in height NDL Call No.: 亥( I ) 218

This manuscript has no title, but it is known as "Hachikazuki" from its contents. 

"Hachikazuki" is a famous Japanese folktale of a princess called Hachikazuki (literally means: "bowl wearer").  At the moment of her death, the mother of the princess puts a bowl on her head.  The bowl sticks to her head and she is unable to take off. Hachikazuki is ill-treated by her stepmother and has a hard time because of the bowl. 

A prince is fascinated by Hachikazuki, but his family strongly opposes the match. Finally one day the bowl comes off and she is seen as a beautiful and cultured woman.  She marries the prince and lives happily ever after. 

This illustrated manuscript is one of those commonly called "Naraehon", designed sometime in the 17th century.  Traditional Japanese colors, gold and silver decorations are used in the beautiful pictures.  Though this manuscript is in the form of a scroll at present, the original was a so-called Yokohon, which is a bound book (Sasshibon) wider than it is tall.

Title: Cinderella Retold: Alan Blyth Illustrations: Emanuele Luzzati Imprint: Julia MacRae Books, 1981 NDL Call No.: Y19-A701

"Cinderella" is a very popular fairy tale by Charles Perrault.  A beautiful and good-natured girl is treated badly by her stepmother and stepsisters.  However, with a help of a fairy godmother, she marries a prince and lives happily ever after. 

This "Cinderella" is based on the Rossini opera "La Cenerentola", which was first staged in 1817 and was a great success.  The popular Italian illustrator Emanuele Luzzati is also famous as a theater designer.  He was nominated for Academy Award for his animated films.

"Chirimen books" (Crepe-paper Edition) are woodblock prints on processed washi, or Japanese paper crinkled like chirimen, silk crape textile.  They were published from the Meiji period to the early Showa period (that is, late 19th century to early 20th century). Many of them were produced as souvenirs for western visitors to buy and some were exported as Japanese art and craft products. 

Chirimen paper was born in the latter part of the Edo period (early 19th century).  Books of the "Japanese Fairy Tale Series" (23 vols.) were published from 1885 by Takejiro Hasegawa (Kobunsha) and are regarded as the first "Chirimen books".   The series includes English versions of "Momotaro", "Sarukani kassen" and other popular stories.  French and German versions of the books were also published in the same period. Some people say that Hasegawa's foreign friends translated his stories.  This series is highly evaluated for organizing Japanese folktales in the initial stage and introducing them overseas. 

Eitaku Kobayashi who is one of the Kano-ha school of painters draws most of the illustrations in "Japanese Fairy Tale Series". Kano-ha, the biggest and most influential school in Japanese art history, flourished from the mid 15th century to the 19th century.