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kibyōshi

(lit. "yellow covers"). Major form of gesaku literature, the generic designation for all prose fiction from the mid-18th century to the end of the Edo period (1600-1868). Kibyōshi is one of the main subgenres of the kusazōshi ("grass books"), a distinctive genre of popular illustrated fiction produced mainly by writers and artists in the city of Edo (now Tokyo), ranging from juvenile tales to elaborate stories. The name kibyōshi derives from the bright yellow color of these jacketed booklets. (adapted from Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Tokyo: Kodansha, 1993)

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