Photograph of the Saga-bon Suma Chapter

What it is

This 1930 photograph by 金子元臣 shows a page from a Saga-bon edition of the Suma chapter of The Tale of Genji. It was published as a frontispiece in a scholarly edition of the novel.

Why it matters

Saga-bon editions were a notable early form of printed book in Japan. This photograph shows how Murasaki Shikibu's early 11th-century novel was later reproduced using this printing style, helping preserve and spread the text.

Look closer

• What features of the calligraphy suggest it was printed rather than freely handwritten?
• Why might a particular printing style, like Saga-bon, be considered historically important?
• How does seeing the original script change your sense of the story compared to reading a modern translation?