Kawakami’s surreal story of an empty amusement park that only he can visit and only he has seen. One of 5 special copies, from a total edition of 100.
There is a certain amount of ceremony to viewing this book. The first barrier is a chitsu folding case, which is covered in a colourful batik cloth (a type of patterned wax resist-dyed textile from Indonesia). The label is written in Kawakami’s hand on a luxurious piece of Japanese paper, sparking with mica. Inside, there is a lidded card box with a woodblock printed title which Kawakami has hand-coloured in his characteristic style. Further surprise comes inside the box, which holds the book and its decadent chemise. This has been made from thick boards covered in paper that has been printed with three layers of woodblock prints to form a lively pattern. In the centre of the upper board likes a glass square which has been painted underneath. Unfortunately, as is so often the case with reverse glass paintings, the paint has chipped in places, leaving a fragmented image behind. The title is printed in woodblock onto yellow paper, and on the lower board there is a woodblock vignette on the same type of paper. After all of these layers, the book itself is comparatively austere by design. Bound in crisp, white card wrappers, with the leaves held together by string, each spread contains a single woodblock print in black opposite a neat box of letterpress-printed text. Overall, tremendous care has been taken to create this copy, which is one example of 5 special bindings. The rest of the edition lacks the glass painting and cloth folding case.
Kawakami’s story has a haunting quality to it. The amusement park is in a forest only he knows, which only he has been to, and inside there are the ‘ruins’ of what was perhaps once a bustling place. Instead, the rides show signs of rust and wear, and no one is around.
Extremely rare. Only 1 copy in OCLC – listed at the British Library, but it is not one of the special 5.
