Toyokuni III: Fifty-Four Scenes from the Tales of Genji, Vol.51

The Tale of Genji, written by Lady Murasaki in the 11th Century, is considered the first true novel, and its lure and appeal have remained strong in Japan and around the world for one thousand years. It chronicles the adventures of the young prince Genji in the Emperor's court in Kyoto. In Edo times, there was a craze for woodblock prints Japanese depicting the story -- and invented sequels using the same characters -- in what was then modern dress.