The points of issue
First American edition, first printing, translated by Ivan Morris, with an introduction by Nancy Wilson Ross and drawings by Fumi Komatsu. Borzoi colophon present; copyright page carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement. Bound in red cloth spine over grey paper boards; illustrated dust jacket priced on the front flap.
Is this the true first?
The Knopf US edition of 1959 is the first English-language edition; the UK Secker & Warburg edition followed the same year. The Japanese original dates to 1956. Confirm Knopf priority via the colophon and FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Vintage International and later paperbacks are reprints. A reprint will lack the Borzoi device and the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First American edition, first printing, translated by Ivan Morris, with an introduction by Nancy Wilson Ross and drawings by Fumi Komatsu. Borzoi colophon present; copyright page carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement. Bound in red cloth spine over grey paper boards; illustrated dust jacket priced on the front flap.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The Knopf US edition of 1959 is the first English-language edition; the UK Secker & Warburg edition followed the same year. The Japanese original dates to 1956. Confirm Knopf priority via the colophon and FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Vintage International and later paperbacks are reprints. A reprint will lack the Borzoi device and the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION line.
I have a first edition of The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.