Ihara Saikaku books in order
Japanese writer
- Lived
- 1642–1693
- Country
- Japan
- Books
- 3
- Also writes as
- 二万翁, 西鵬, 鶴永
Ihara Saikaku published 2 novels and 1 short story collection, beginning with The Great Mirror of Male Love (1687).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Ihara Saikaku
Start here
The Great Mirror of Male Love
Ihara Saikaku's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
The Life of an Amorous Man (1682)
The Life of an Amorous Woman (1686)
Short story collections in order
The Great Mirror of Male Love (1687)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Life of Oharu (1952)Film · from The Life of an Amorous Woman
About Ihara Saikaku
Ihara Saikaku was a Japanese poet and creator of the "floating world" genre of Japanese prose (ukiyo-zōshi).
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Ihara Saikaku FAQ
- How many books has Ihara Saikaku written?
- Ihara Saikaku published 2 novels and 1 short story collection that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Ihara Saikaku's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Great Mirror of Male Love.
- What is Ihara Saikaku's last book?
- The Great Mirror of Male Love (1687).
- What is Ihara Saikaku's most famous book?
- The Great Mirror of Male Love (1687) is Ihara Saikaku's most widely read book.
- Does Ihara Saikaku write under a pen name?
- Yes: Ihara Saikaku has also published as 二万翁, 西鵬 and 鶴永.
- Which Ihara Saikaku books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including The Life of an Amorous Woman (as The Life of Oharu, film, 1952).
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.