Narrow Road to the Interior & Hojoki Lib/E

Japanese poetry is known for its clarity and concision, and Narrow Road to the Interior and Hōjōki are two of the best loved and most intensely Japanese works of their kind; famous for their beautiful, delicate verse and subtle insight into the human condition. It has been said of Narrow Road that it was as if the very soul of Japan had itself written it. The poem takes the form of a travel diary and traces the poet's journey from Edo (modern day Tokyo) to the northern interior of the country. Hōjōki, a much earlier work written by Kamo no Chōmei, a Buddhist hermit, is essentially a meditation on the transience of the world. Read by the famous classical Japanese actor Togo Igawa, the full beauty of its ancient cadences and rhythms is drawn forth.

About the Author :
Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694) was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan. Regarded as a master of the haiku, his work is praised for its brevity and clarity and its ability to capture the most subtle transitions. Many monuments in Japan bear his poems. Kamo no Chōmei (1155-1216) was a Japanese author, poet, and essayist. Born the son of a Shinto priest, he was educated as a poetic artist and his talent won him recognition from the court and eventually a government post. In 1204, after being denied an appointment as priest of Kamo Shrine, he turned his back on society and went to live in the forest as a hermit. His most popular essay, An Account of My Hut (Hōjōki), describes the advantages of a life of isolation and tranquility compared to the turbulence, hazards, and upheavals of city life. Togo Igawa is one of the leading Japanese classical actors. After training at the Actors Theatre (Haiyûza Yôseijo) and Tôhô Gakuen Drama College, he was a founding member of the Black Tent Theatre and, more recently, of the Ichiza Theatre Company. He has appeared in theater, film, radio, and television. Theater work includes Pacific Overtures by Stephen Sondheim at the Donmar Warehouse, which won the Olivier award for best musical. He has worked extensively in film including Memoirs of a Geisha, Eyes Wide Shut, Topsy-Turvy, The Last Samurai, and Revolver. Takashi Sudo was born in Tokyo. In 1977 he moved to London where he worked as a designer on many prestigious commercial and domestic projects. In 1991 a friend introduced him to voiceover work and he has now become one of the principal Japanese voiceover artists in the United Kingdom. He currently works from his own production company in North London.

Review :
"This fine rendering of two classic Japanese tales about the contemplative life demonstrates the power and effectiveness of the Naxos method of combining classic literature and classical music. The modern translations are enriched with verse excerpts in Japanese, traditional Japanese instruments in the musical bridges, and the use of Japanese actors as narrators...In addition to an informative booklet, the production includes a CD-ROM that provides detailed notes--a bonus for students and for the devoted listener. This outstanding production is an excellent introduction to two of the staples of Japanese literature." -- "AudioFile"