Japanese Fairy Tale Chin Chin Kobakama Book, 1903 - Charming original book of the fairy tale "Chin Chin Kobakama" (The Fairies of the Floor Mats), translated into English by Lafcadio Hearn. It tells the story of fairies that live in the tatami mats covering the floors of Japanese homes. It features attractive woodblock illustrations, some as single pages and others framing the text.

An Unusual Crepe Paper Book - This is a "crepe paper book," known in Japanese as "chirimen-bon." After the woodblocks were printed in the traditional manner, the prints went through a mechanical process that added a crinkled texture while also reducing the size considerably, giving it a highly textured appearance similar to crepe paper. Chirimen-bon became popular with the Western market during the Meiji era. Crepe prints were often used for books, especially for children's books as the creping process made the paper less likely to tear. Takejiro Hasegawa was the best-known publisher of chirimen-bon, producing many titles in English and other European languages for the foreign market starting in 1885. This book was published by Hasegawa. An interesting example of a specialized Japanese print technique that would make a fun addition to a collection.

Artist - Meiji era artist (unsigned)

Size - Overall size 7 5/8" x 5 1/2" x 1/4"

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Creasing, wrinkling, slight toning. Please see photos for details.