Japanese Kabuki Stories

Tales of Love and Death from the Japanese Theater

Ornella Civardi

$42.99

Hardback

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English

Tuttle
01 December 2025

Theatre Studies; Literature, Poetry & Criticism; Literary studies: plays & playwrights

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:

The 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 Tale of Genji

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 Magical 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

The translations are by Ornella Civardi, a noted scholar of Japanese literature, who also provides an fascinating introduction to the popular kabuki theater tradition in Japan. The book will be treasured by kabuki aficionados as well anyone with an interest in the theatre or Japanese literature.

'Kabuki is action-packed, scenically thrilling and histrionically flamboyant' - The Guardian

By: Ornella Civardi
Imprint: Tuttle
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 241mm, Width: 178mm, Spine: 20mm
ISBN: 9784805319727
ISBN 10: 4805319720
Pages: 176
Publication Date: 01 December 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Ornella Civardi studied Oriental Languages and Literature at Ca' Foscari University in Venice and then won a scholarship to study at Keio University in Tokyo in 1989. She has translated classic works by Mishima, Kawabata and Ikkyu into her native Italian, and won the Alcantara Prize for translation in 2005. She has published numerous books on the subject of Japanese literature in Italian.