# Is "The Sound of the Mountain (Yama no Oto)" by Yasunari Kawabata a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Sound of the Mountain (Yama no Oto) by Yasunari Kawabata (Alfred A. Knopf, 1970) is identified by: First American edition, translated by Edward G. The Knopf US edition of 1970 is the first English-language edition and precedes the UK (Peter Owen, 1971).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First American edition, translated by Edward G. Seidensticker
- Borzoi device present; copyright page carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement
- No number line on the true first (consistent with Knopf practice of the period)
- Dust jacket priced on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Yasunari Kawabata |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1970 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First American edition, translated by Edward G. Seidensticker |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First American edition, translated by Edward G. Seidensticker. Borzoi device present; copyright page carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement. No number line on the true first (consistent with Knopf practice of the period). Dust jacket priced on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The Knopf US edition of 1970 is the first English-language edition and precedes the UK (Peter Owen, 1971). The Japanese original dates to 1954. This translation won the National Book Award for Translation.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Peter Owen UK edition and later paperbacks are reprints or first-thus. Confirm Knopf priority via the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION line and Borzoi device.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Sound of the Mountain (Yama no Oto)* by Yasunari Kawabata a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-sound-of-the-mountain-yama-no-oto
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.