Board of Tourist Industry; Matsunosuke Tatsui; Koya Nakamura; Bunsyo Zyugaka et al. — Japan Tourist Library

Tokyo, Board of Tourist Industry, Japanese Government Railways, 1935-1942 . First edition. Paperback. A wonderful collection of thirteen illustrated mid-20th century guides to various aspects of Japanese culture, produced by Japan's tourist board during WWII. A beautifully illustrated collection of thirteen volumes from Japan's mid-20th century 'Tourist Library' series, a publication aiming to introduce Western readers to a variety of aspects of Japanese culture, in a period during which tensions between Japan and the West were rising.Forty volumes were ultimately published, with thirteen present here.Each volume is illustrated with a colour frontispiece, with monochrome vignettes throughout.No. 4: Japanese Gardens, the second edition dated 1936 by Matsunosuke TatsuiNo. 9: Castles in Japan, the 1935 first edition by N. Orui and M. Toba.No. 10: Hot Springs in Japan, the 1936 first edition by Koichi Fujinami.No. 13: Kimono, the 1936 first edition by Kenichi Kawakatsu.No. 18: Scenery of Japan, the 1937 first edition by T. Tamura.No. 20: Floral Calendar of Japan, the 1938 first edition by T. Makino and Genziro Oka.No. 24: Japanese Wood-Block Prints, the 1938 first edition by S. Huzikake.No. 25: History of Japan, the 1939 first edition by Koya Nakamura.No. 26: Japanese Folk-Toys, the 1939 first edition by Tekiho Nisizawa.No. 31: Japan's Ancient Armour, the 1940 first edition by Hatiro Yamagami.No. 33: Japanese Proverbs, the 1940 first edition by Otoo Huzii.No. 36: Ainu Life and Legends, the 1941 first edition by Kyosuke Kindaiti.No. 39: Hand-Made Paper of Japan, the 1942 first edition by Bunsyo Zyugaka. Illustrated with a colour frontispiece and with fifteen washi paper samples tipped in. Collated, complete.Housed in a vibrant custom cloth slip case, with fastenings in full working order.Bookplate of collector Cliff Parfitt to front pastedowns, with a stamp to half title of No. 39, and bookseller's label to final leaf of this volume. In the publisher's original paper wraps, with pictorial onlays to front wraps. Housed in a custom cloth slip case, with fastenings in full working order. Externally, generally very smart, with light handling marks to wraps, back strip age toned, and shelf wear to back strip tails. Ink inscription to front wrap of 24. Edgewear to wrap perimeters. Front hinge of volume I strained and a touch tender. Bookplates to front pastedowns. Stamp to 39 half title and bookseller's label to final leaf. Slip case in fine condition. Internally, firmly bound. Pages clean and bright. Very Good . Ill.: Not Stated. Very Good .