william n. porter

The Tosa Diary reveals the life of a traveler in tenth-century Japan whose journey lasted 55 days on a ship from Tosa, where Ki no Tsurayuki served as governor, to Kyoto. This engaging translation provides the modern reader with a fascinating look at ancient Japanese life and travel, and is written with an artless simplicity and quiet humor. Seasickness, grief, and pride are just a few of the emotions readers will feel as Tsurayuki's personalized account unravels.

Complete with a detailed introduction and thorough translation notes, The Tosa Diary can be counted among those that are labeled Japanese classics.