This extensive anthology includes excerpts from plays and novels plus stories, fairy tales, and many poems. "The sweep of Japanese literature in all its great variety was made available to Western readers for the first time in this anthology. Every genre and style, from the celebrated Nô plays to the poetry and novels of the seventeenth century, finds a place in this book; and many of the selections have their own introductions."--Publisher's description.

"This volume is published in accordance with an arrangement between Unesco and the Japanese Government"--Title page verso.

Part I: Ancient period [To 794 A.D.]. Man'yōshū -- The luck of the sea and luck of the mountains -- Kaifūsō -- Part II: Heian period [794-1185]. Kūkai : Kūkai and his master -- Tales of Ise -- Kokinshū -- Ki No Tsurayuki : The Tosa diary -- Poetry from the six collections -- The mother of Michitsuna : Kagerō Nikki -- Murasaki Shikibu : Yūgao (from "The Tale of Genji") -- Sei Shōnagon : The pillow book -- Murasaki Shikibu : Diary -- The daughter of Takasue : The Sarashina diary -- Poetry in Chinese -- Ryōjin Hishō -- The lady who loved insects -- Part III: Kamakura period [1185-1333]. The tale of the Heike -- Shinkokinshū -- Kamo No Chōmei : An account of my hut -- Tales from the Uji collection -- The captain of Naruto -- Part IV: Muromachi period [1333-1600]. Yoshida Kenkō : Essays in idleness -- The exile of Godaigo -- Seami Motokiyo : The art of the Nō -- Plan of the Nō stage -- Kan'ami Kiyotsugu : Sotoba Komachi -- Seami Motokiyo : Birds of sorrow -- Seami Motokiyo : Atsumori -- Seami Motokiyo : The Damask drum -- The bird-catcher in Hades -- Busu -- Poems in Chinese by Buddhist monks -- Three poets at Minase -- Three priests -- Part V: Tokugawa period [1600-1868]. Ihara Saikaku : What the seasons brought to the almanac-maker -- Ihara Saikaku : The umbrella oracle -- Ihara Saikaku : The eternal storehouse of Japan -- Matsuo Bashō : The narrow road of Oku -- Matuso Bashō : Prose poem on the unreal dwelling -- Mukai Kyorai : Conversations with Kyorai -- Haiku by Bashō and his school -- Chikamatsu on the art of the puppet stage -- Chikamatsu Monzaemon : The love suicides at Sonezaki -- Ejima Kiseki : A wayward wife -- Jippensha Ikku : Hizakurige -- Takizawa Bakin : Shino and Hamaji -- Haiku of the middle and late Tokugawa period -- Waka of the Tokugawa period -- Poetry and prose in Chinese.