# Is "Thousand Cranes (Senbazuru)" by Yasunari Kawabata a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Thousand Cranes (Senbazuru) by Yasunari Kawabata (Alfred A. Knopf, 1959) is identified by: First American edition, translated by Edward G. The Knopf US edition of 1959 is the first English-language edition; the UK Secker & Warburg edition followed the same year.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First American edition, translated by Edward G. Seidensticker, with chapter-heading drawings by Fumi Komatsu
- Borzoi colophon present; copyright page carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement with no later-printing line
- Dust jacket priced on the front flap
- Knopf editions of this era do not use a number line, so its absence is normal
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Yasunari Kawabata |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1959 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First American edition, translated by Edward G. Seidensticker, with chapter-heading drawings by Fumi Komatsu |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First American edition, translated by Edward G. Seidensticker, with chapter-heading drawings by Fumi Komatsu. Borzoi colophon present; copyright page carries the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement with no later-printing line. Dust jacket priced on the front flap. Knopf editions of this era do not use a number line, so its absence is normal.

## 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 (Sembazuru) preceded it. Confirm Knopf priority via the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION statement and Borzoi device.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later combined volumes pairing Thousand Cranes with Snow Country, and Vintage International paperbacks, are reprints. A book club or later reprint will lack the Borzoi colophon and the FIRST AMERICAN EDITION line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Thousand Cranes (Senbazuru)* by Yasunari Kawabata a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/thousand-cranes-senbazuru
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.