Yokohama: Yatate Publishing, 1992. First edition. Large 4to (13-5/8 x 10-3/8 in.). Gray papered boards; black spine titles; dust jacket. [4], 41, [7]pp.; plates. Moderate bumping to base of spine and front bottom tip; mild sunning to edges of boards and jacket. Very good or better in like jacket. Two-page essay by Shuri Kido in Japanese and English; else all text in Japanese.
Striking black-and-white portraits of the members and performances of a Japanese sideshow, including little people, fire swallowers, and snake eaters. Misemomo, or freakshows, were a widespread form of popular entertainment during the Edo Period, and survived into the 20th century in the form of circus tent shows, though by the time of this book's publication changing laws and waning public interest had led to their near-extinction. Scarce both in the trade and institutionally; OCLC locates only two holdings, at Cornell and the National Diet Library in Tokyo.
