Acknowledgments Introduction Part I. Beginnings 1. The Pillow Book, by Sei Shonagon 2. Essays in Idleness, by Yoshida no Kenko Part II. The Late Medieval Era 3. Conversations with Shotetsu, by Shotetsu 4. "To Unify the Nation and Restore Civil Society", by Ichijo Kaneyoshi 5. "Cottage of Dreams" and "Three Loves", by Shohaku 6. A Tenbun Miscellany, by The Fujiwara Lay Monk Part III. The Edo Period 7. Laughs to Keep You Awake, by Anrakuan Sakuden 8. "On Ohara", by Kinoshita Choshoshi 9. Haikai Prose, by Matsuo Basho 10. Amusements, by Amenomori Hoshu 11. Window Musings, by Matsuzaki Kanran 12. A Miscellany of Stories, by Morita Morimasa 13. Chats with Myself, by Dazai Shundai 14. Jeweled Comb Basket, by Motoori Norinaga 15. Idle Chats Beneath a Northern Window, by Tachibana Nankei 16. Blossoms and the Moon, by Matsudaira Sadanobu 17. Year by Year: A Miscellany, by Ishiwara Masaakira 18. Behind the Koto, by Murata Harumi 19. Shunparo's Jottings, by Shiba Kokan 20. Unusual People of the Modern Age and Kanden's Crop of Jottings, by Ban Kokei 21. Hoary Stories, by Tadano Makuzu 22. Haikai Prose, by Natsume Seibi 23. Clouds of Floating Grasses Part IV. The Modern Period 24. Autumn Ensemble, by Higuchi Ichiyo 25. Short Works from Long Days, by Natsume Soseki 26. "Snow", by Tokutomi Roka 27. "Desk", by Tayama Katai 28. "Fireworks", by Nagai Kafu 29. "Laughter", by Terada Torahiko 30. "Various Thoughts on the Great Kanto Earthquake" and "My Moral Precepts for Everyday Life", by Kikuchi Kan 31. "Master Hyakken's Idle Fantasies," "Bumpy Road," and "A Long Fence", by Uchida Hyakken 32. "The Image of an Author", by Dazai Osamu 33. "Baby Sparrow," "Turtledoves," and "Morning Glories", by Shiga Naoya 34. Esprit and Humor, by Kawamori Yoshizo 35. "Sleepless Nights" and "A Bed for My Books", by Osaragi Jiro 36. "On Being Down with a Cold", by Kawakami Tetsutaro 37. "The Road", by Shono Junzo 38. "Kitchen," "Raindrops," and "A Memento of the Season", by Koda Aya 39. "On Surgery" and "Rainy Day", by Kono Taeko 40. "Looking for Gloves", by Mukoda Kuniko 41. One, We Count, Then ... , by Takenishi Hiroko 42. Sunday Musings, by Hiraiwa Yumie 43. Not Much of a Book, but Please... and Just Be Sure You're Not a Bother to Anyone, by Dekune Tatsuro 44. "Myna Bird", by Kizaki Satoko 45. "Concerning the Order of Culture", by Shiroyama Saburo 46. "On Zuihitsu", by Sakai Junko