The Book Of Japanese Folklore An Encyclopedia Of The Spirits Monsters And Yokai Of Japanese Myth

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The Book of Japanese Folklore: An Encyclopedia of the Spirits, Monsters, and Yokai of Japanese Myth

Author : Thersa Matsuura
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1507221924
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (72 download)

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Book Synopsis The Book of Japanese Folklore: An Encyclopedia of the Spirits, Monsters, and Yokai of Japanese Myth by : Thersa Matsuura

Download or read book The Book of Japanese Folklore: An Encyclopedia of the Spirits, Monsters, and Yokai of Japanese Myth written by Thersa Matsuura and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2024-04-30 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover everything you’ve ever wondered about the legendary spirits, creatures, and figures of Japanese folklore including how they have found their way into every corner of our pop culture from the creator of the podcast Uncanny Japan. Welcome to The Book of Japanese Folklore: a fascinating journey through Japan’s folklore through profiles of the legendary creatures and beings who continue to live on in pop culture today. From the sly kitsune to the orgrish oni and mischievous shape-shifting tanuki, learn all about the origins of these fantastical and mythical creatures. This gorgeous package is complete with stained edges and stunning four-color illustrations. With information on their cultural significance, a retelling of a popular tale tied to that particular yokai, and how it’s been spun into today’s popular culture, this handsome tome teaches you about the stories and histories of the beings that inspired characters in your favorite movies, animes, manga, and games. Adventure, mystery, and amazing tales await in The Book of Japanese Folklore.

The Book of Yokai

Author : Michael Dylan Foster
Publisher : Univ of California Press
ISBN 13 : 0520271017
Total Pages : 330 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (22 download)

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Book Synopsis The Book of Yokai by : Michael Dylan Foster

Download or read book The Book of Yokai written by Michael Dylan Foster and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2015-01-14 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Monsters, ghosts, fantastic beings, and supernatural phenomena of all sorts haunt the folklore and popular culture of Japan. Broadly labeled yokai, these creatures come in infinite shapes and sizes, from tengu mountain goblins and kappa water spirits to shape-shifting foxes and long-tongued ceiling-lickers. Currently popular in anime, manga, film, and computer games, many yokai originated in local legends, folktales, and regional ghost stories. Drawing on years of research in Japan, Michael Dylan Foster unpacks the history and cultural context of yokai, tracing their roots, interpreting their meanings, and introducing people who have hunted them through the ages. In this delightful and accessible narrative, readers will explore the roles played by these mysterious beings within Japanese culture and will also learn of their abundance and variety through detailed entries, some with original illustrations, on more than fifty individual creatures. The Book of Yokai provides a lively excursion into Japanese folklore and its ever-expanding influence on global popular culture. It also invites readers to examine how people create, transmit, and collect folklore, and how they make sense of the mysteries in the world around them. By exploring yokai as a concept, we can better understand broader processes of tradition, innovation, storytelling, and individual and communal creativity. Ê

The Book of Japanese Folklore: An Encyclopedia of the Spirits, Monsters, and Yokai of Japanese Myth

Author : Thersa Matsuura
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1507221916
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (72 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Book of Japanese Folklore: An Encyclopedia of the Spirits, Monsters, and Yokai of Japanese Myth by : Thersa Matsuura

Download or read book The Book of Japanese Folklore: An Encyclopedia of the Spirits, Monsters, and Yokai of Japanese Myth written by Thersa Matsuura and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2024-04-30 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Welcome to The Book of Japanese Folklore: a fascinating journey through Japan's folklore through profiles of the legendary creatures and beings who continue to live on in pop culture today. From the sly kitsune to the orgrish oni and mischievous shape-shifting tanuki, learn all about the origins of these fantastical and mythical creatures. With information on their cultural significance, a retelling of a popular tale tied to that particular yokai, and how it's been spun into today's popular culture, this beautifully illustrated tome teaches you about the stories and histories of the beings that inspired characters in your favorite movies, animes, manga, and games. Adventure, mystery, and amazing tales await in The Book of Japanese Folklore"--

The Book of Yokai

Author : Michael Dylan Foster
Publisher : Univ of California Press
ISBN 13 : 0520959124
Total Pages : 336 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (29 download)

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Book Synopsis The Book of Yokai by : Michael Dylan Foster

Download or read book The Book of Yokai written by Michael Dylan Foster and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2015-01-14 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Monsters, ghosts, fantastic beings, and supernatural phenomena of all sorts haunt the folklore and popular culture of Japan. Broadly labeled yokai, these creatures come in infinite shapes and sizes, from tengu mountain goblins and kappa water spirits to shape-shifting foxes and long-tongued ceiling-lickers. Currently popular in anime, manga, film, and computer games, many yokai originated in local legends, folktales, and regional ghost stories. Drawing on years of research in Japan, Michael Dylan Foster unpacks the history and cultural context of yokai, tracing their roots, interpreting their meanings, and introducing people who have hunted them through the ages. In this delightful and accessible narrative, readers will explore the roles played by these mysterious beings within Japanese culture and will also learn of their abundance and variety through detailed entries, some with original illustrations, on more than fifty individual creatures. The Book of Yokai provides a lively excursion into Japanese folklore and its ever-expanding influence on global popular culture. It also invites readers to examine how people create, transmit, and collect folklore, and how they make sense of the mysteries in the world around them. By exploring yokai as a concept, we can better understand broader processes of tradition, innovation, storytelling, and individual and communal creativity.

The Book of the Hakutaku

Author : Zack Davisson
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780985218454
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (184 download)

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Book Synopsis The Book of the Hakutaku by : Zack Davisson

Download or read book The Book of the Hakutaku written by Zack Davisson and published by . This book was released on 2018-09 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons

Author : Matthew Meyer
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780985218423
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (184 download)

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Book Synopsis The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons by : Matthew Meyer

Download or read book The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons written by Matthew Meyer and published by . This book was released on 2015-03-30 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the mists of prehistory to the present day, Japan has always had stories of fantastic monsters. There are women with extra mouths in the backs of their heads, water goblins whose favorite food is inside the human anus, elephant-dragons which feed solely on bad dreams, baby zombies, talking foxes, fire-breathing chickens, animated blobs of rotten flesh that run about the streets at night, and the dreaded "hyakki yagyo" "the night parade of one hundred demons"-when all of the yokai leave their homes and parade through the streets of Japan in one massive spectacle of utter pandemonium. What are yokai? Put simply, they are supernatural creatures of Japanese folklore. The word in Japanese is a combination of "yo," meaning "bewitching," and "kai," meaning "strange." The term encompasses monsters, demons, gods ("kami"), ghosts ("bakemono"), magical animals, transformed humans, urban legends, and other strange phenomena. It is a broad and vague term. Nothing exists in the English language that quite does the trick of capturing the essence of yokai. This field guide contains over 100 illustrated entries covering a wide variety of Japanese yokai. Each yokai is described in detail-including its habitat, diet, origin, and legends-based on translations from centuries-old Japanese texts. This book was first funded on Kickstarter in 2011 and then revised in 2015.

Yōkai

Author : Felicia Katz-Harris
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780890136522
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (365 download)

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Book Synopsis Yōkai by : Felicia Katz-Harris

Download or read book Yōkai written by Felicia Katz-Harris and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vivid in Japanese art and imagination are creatures that are at once ghastly and humorous. The Japanese word yokai generally refers to a range of supernatural beings such as ghosts, demons, monsters, shapeshifters, tricksters, and other strange kinds of creatures. While their status is commonly described as supernatural, they exist or appear in the natural, human world. Today, yokai are wildly popular in Japan. They are prevalent across contemporary entertainment genres such as manga ("comics") and anime ("animation") series, horror movies, and video games, and they also manifest as the subject of related material culture objects like game cards, character t-shirts, cuddly plushies, and collectable gashapon capsule toys. This diverse array of yokai imagery and materiality is deeply rooted in the past. Yokai images and their stories are enduring, and there is no question that what we see in hot commodities today is closely aligned with traditional Japanese folklore. Yokai: Ghosts & Demons of Japan explores yokai and their popularity in Japan through multiple perspectives of yokai: what they are, their associated tales, how people engaged with or interpreted yokai in different contexts, and why they remain so popular in Japan. The contributors to this book are among eminent scholars, creators, and promoters of various aspects of yokai culture. The interdisciplinary nature of this book's presentation vibrantly illustrates yokai from different angles, allowing for a broad view of their cultural scope in Japan. In addition, the contributors delve into popular culture themes, connecting traditional folklore, folk art, and imagery to trends in Japan as well as in the United States.

Japanese Yokai Handbook

Author : Masami Kinoshita
Publisher : Tuttle Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1462924239
Total Pages : 181 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (629 download)

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Book Synopsis Japanese Yokai Handbook by : Masami Kinoshita

Download or read book Japanese Yokai Handbook written by Masami Kinoshita and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2023-10-17 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is your ultimate guide to Japan's scariest creatures! Yokai come in every imaginable shape and form—from frightening ghosts and cruel demons to cute fairies and enchanted animals. They can be evil monsters, harmless tricksters or prophets of doom, depending on their inclination. This book profiles 100 of the most fascinating Yokai, including: Tengu: A powerful Yokai that often takes human form with wings and a large nose who lives in mountains and forests Kappa: A deadly Yokai that lives near rivers and drags passersby into the water to drown Peroritaro: A grotesque Yokai that looks like blubbering child and has an appetite for greedy children Baku: A monstrous Yokai with an elephant's head, a bear's body, a rhino's eyes, an ox's tail and a tiger's legs that aids humans by devouring their nightmares And many more! Yokai expert Masami Kinoshita has been documenting Yokai in folklore, and in real life, for many years. This book presents her most interesting findings and has over 175 full-color illustrations that vividly depict the appearances of these weird creatures. No matter their origins, each Yokai has a strange and wonderful story that is sure to amaze you!

The Japanese Myths

Author : Joshua Frydman
Publisher : Thames & Hudson
ISBN 13 : 0500777349
Total Pages : 291 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (7 download)

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Book Synopsis The Japanese Myths by : Joshua Frydman

Download or read book The Japanese Myths written by Joshua Frydman and published by Thames & Hudson. This book was released on 2022-04-07 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a smart and succinct guide to the rich tradition of Japanese mythology, from the earliest recorded legends of Izanagi and Izanami, their divine offspring and the creation of Japan, to medieval tales of vengeful ghosts, through to the modern-day reincarnation of ancient deities as the heroes of mecha anime. While many around the world love Japans cultural exports, few are familiar with Japans unique mythology - enriched by Shinto, Buddhism and regional folklore. Mythology remains a living, evolving part of Japanese society, and the ways in which the people of Japan understand their myths are very different today even from a century ago, let alone over a millennium into the past. Offering much more than any competing overview of Japanese mythology, The Japanese Myths not only retells the ancient stories but also considers their place within the patterns of Japanese religions, culture and history, helping readers to understand the deep links between past and present in Japan, and the ways these myths live and grow. Joshua Frydman takes the very earliest written myths in the Kojiki and the Nihonshoki as his starting point, and from there traces Japans mythology through to post-war State Shinto, the rise of the manga industry in the 1960s, J-horror and modern-day myths. Reinventions and retellings of myth are present across all genres of contemporary Japanese culture, from its auteur cinema to renowned video games such as Okami. This book is for anyone interested in Japan, as knowing its myths allows readers to understand and appreciate its culture in a new light.

The Great Yokai Encyclopaedia

Author : Richard Freeman
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781905723546
Total Pages : 418 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (235 download)

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Book Synopsis The Great Yokai Encyclopaedia by : Richard Freeman

Download or read book The Great Yokai Encyclopaedia written by Richard Freeman and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Everyone has heard of vampires and werewolves, but how many have heard of the rokuro-kubi, the tsuchinoki or the sagari? Japan has a wealth of ghosts and monsters, collectively called yokai, which are totally unknown in the West. The bizarre and wonderful folklore of Japan includes giant corpse-eating rabbits, flaming pigs that steal human genitals, perverse water goblins, blood sucking trees, a dragon that impregnates women, cats who animate dead bodies, a zombie whale and a huge flesh eating sea cucumber that grows from a pair of discarded knickers!

The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits

Author : Zack Davisson
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780985218447
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (184 download)

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Book Synopsis The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits by : Zack Davisson

Download or read book The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits written by Zack Davisson and published by . This book was released on 2015-04-15 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Japan, it is said that there are 8 million kami. These spirits encompass every kind of supernatural creature; from malign to monstrous, demonic to divine, and everything in between. Most of them seem strange and scary--even evil--from a human perspective. They are known by myriad names: bakemono, chimimoryo, mamono, mononoke, obake, oni, and yokai.Yokai live in a world that parallels our own. Their lives resemble ours in many ways. They have societies and rivalries. They eat, sing, dance, play, fight, compete, and even wage war. Normally, we keep to our world and they keep to theirs. However, there are times and places where the boundaries between the worlds thin, and crossing over is possible.The twilight hour--the border between daylight and darkness--is when the boundary between worlds is at its thinnest. Twilight is the easiest time for yokai to cross into this world, or for humans to accidentally cross into theirs. Our world is still awake and active, but the world of the supernatural is beginning to stir. Superstition tells people to return to their villages and stay inside when the sun sets in order to avoid running into demons. This is why in Japanese the twilight hour is called omagatoki: "the hour of meeting evil spirits."This encyclopedia contains over 125 illustrated entries detailing the monsters of Japanese folklore and the myths and magic surrounding them.This book was first funded on Kickstarter in 2013.

Japandemonium Illustrated

Author : Toriyama Sekien
Publisher : Courier Dover Publications
ISBN 13 : 0486800350
Total Pages : 340 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (868 download)

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Book Synopsis Japandemonium Illustrated by : Toriyama Sekien

Download or read book Japandemonium Illustrated written by Toriyama Sekien and published by Courier Dover Publications. This book was released on 2017-01-18 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Japanese folklore abounds with bizarre creatures collectively referred to as the yokai ― the ancestors of the monsters populating Japanese film, literature, manga, and anime. Artist Toriyama Sekien (1712–88) was the first to compile illustrated encyclopedias detailing the appearances and habits of these creepy-crawlies from myth and folklore. Ever since their debut over two centuries ago, the encyclopedias have inspired generations of Japanese artists. Japandemonium Illustrated represents the very first time they have ever been available in English. This historically groundbreaking compilation includes complete translations of all four of Sekien's yokai masterworks: the 1776 Gazu Hyakki Yagyō (The Illustrated Demon Horde's Night Parade), the 1779 Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki (The Illustrated Demon Horde from Past and Present, Continued), the 1781 Konjaku Hyakki Shū (More of the Demon Horde from Past and Present), and the 1784 Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro (A Horde of Haunted Housewares). The collection is complemented by a detailed introduction and helpful annotations for modern-day readers.

The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780985218430
Total Pages : 286 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (184 download)

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Book Synopsis The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits by :

Download or read book The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits written by and published by . This book was released on 2015-03-30 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Japan, it is said that there are 8 million kami. These spirits encompass every kind of supernatural creature; from malign to monstrous, demonic to divine, and everything in between. Most of them seem strange and scary-even evil-from a human perspective. They are known by myriad names: bakemono, chimimoryo, mamono, mononoke, obake, oni, and yokai. Yokai live in a world that parallels our own. Their lives resemble ours in many ways. They have societies and rivalries. They eat, sing, dance, play, fight, compete, and even wage war. Normally, we keep to our world and they keep to theirs. However, there are times and places where the boundaries between the worlds thin, and crossing over is possible. The twilight hour-the border between daylight and darkness-is when the boundary between worlds is at its thinnest. Twilight is the easiest time for yokai to cross into this world, or for humans to accidentally cross into theirs. Our world is still awake and active, but the world of the supernatural is beginning to stir. Superstition tells people to return to their villages and stay inside when the sun sets in order to avoid running into demons. This is why in Japanese the twilight hour is called omagatoki: "the hour of meeting evil spirits." This encyclopedia contains over 125 illustrated entries detailing the monsters of Japanese folklore and the myths and magic surrounding them. This book was first funded on Kickstarter in 2013.

Strange Japanese Yokai

Author : Kenji Murakami
Publisher : Tuttle Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1462923917
Total Pages : 197 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (629 download)

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Book Synopsis Strange Japanese Yokai by : Kenji Murakami

Download or read book Strange Japanese Yokai written by Kenji Murakami and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2023-05-23 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since time immemorial, Japan has been inhabited by supernatural creatures, spirits, monsters and demons…Here's your chance to meet them up close and personal! Strange Japanese Yokai assembles an extraordinary collection of mysterious creatures in every possible shape and size, each with their own unique back story. Some are well-known, others obscure. The one thing they share in common is that they are creepy and weird! The 122 different Yokai described in this book include: The Kappa: A dangerous creature who lives in lakes and rivers and attacks passers-by The Nurarihyon: A mysterious Yokai with a huge head who steals food, tobacco and alcohol The Yadokai: A mischievous former monk who wanders at night vandalizing and being a pest The Ohaguru:A scary Yokai with black teeth who looks like a beautiful woman from afar until she gets closer, smiles, and reveals herself And over 100 more! Yokai expert Kenji Murakami identifies each Yokai, explains the history, where they commonly appear, and their strange powers. The book is illustrated with hundreds of full-color drawings showcasing the fascinating features of these strange creatures. Every monster here, no matter how disgusting, is part of the rich cultural legacy of Japan. *Recommended for readers ages 14 & up*

Japanese Legends and Folklore

Author : A.B. Mitford
Publisher : Tuttle Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1462920713
Total Pages : 426 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (629 download)

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Book Synopsis Japanese Legends and Folklore by : A.B. Mitford

Download or read book Japanese Legends and Folklore written by A.B. Mitford and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2019-03-26 with total page 426 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Japanese Legends and Folklore invites English speakers into the intriguing world of Japanese folktales, ghost stories and historical eyewitness accounts. With a fascinating selection of stories about Japanese culture and history, A.B. Mitford--who lived and worked in Japan as a British diplomat--presents a broad cross section of tales from many Japanese sources. Discover more about practically every aspect of Japanese life--from myths and legends to society and religion. This book features 30 fascinating Japanese stories, including: The Forty-Seven Ronin--the famous, epic tale of a loyal band of Samurai warriors who pay the ultimate price for avenging the honor of their fallen master. The Tongue-Cut Sparrow--a good-hearted old man is richly rewarded when he begs forgiveness from a sparrow who is injured by his spiteful, greedy wife. The Adventures of Little Peach Boy--a tale familiar to generations of Japanese children, a small boy born from a peach is adopted by a kindly childless couple. Japanese Sermons--a selection of sermons written by a priest belonging to the Shingaku sect, which combines Buddhist, Shinto and Confucian teachings. An Account of Hara-Kiri--Mitford's dramatic first person account of a ritual Samurai suicide, the first time it had been reported in English. Thirty-one reproductions of woodblock prints bring the classic tales and essays to life. These influential stories helped shape the West's understanding of Japanese culture. A new foreword by Professor Michael Dylan Foster sheds light on the book's importance as a groundbreaking work of Japanese folklore, literature and history.

A Robe of Feathers

Author : Thersa Matsuura
Publisher : Catapult
ISBN 13 : 1582439397
Total Pages : 210 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (824 download)

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Book Synopsis A Robe of Feathers by : Thersa Matsuura

Download or read book A Robe of Feathers written by Thersa Matsuura and published by Catapult. This book was released on 2009-03-25 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Japan, the line that divides myth from reality is not merely blurred, it is nonexistent. Superstitions, legends, and folk myths are passed down through generations and pervade daily living. When a child playing near a river fails to return home, it is whispered that she was swept away by an adzuki arai, or Bean Washer. When a man boarding a ship hears the ringing of an unseen insect, it is announced that a funadama (Boat Spirit) is present and so the auspicious harbinger of smooth seas and abundant catch is celebrated. Even something as innocuous as waking up to find your pillow at the foot of your bed is thought to be the trick of a makura gaeshi, otherwise known as a Pillow Turner. Nothing is as simple as it seems. Your neighbor isn't merely an eccentric old woman—she might very well be a shape–shifting, grudge–harboring Water Sprite. The Japanese examine life and living with the keenest eyes and the most vivid of imaginations. Thersa Matsuura has captured that essence in this darkly insightful collection illuminating the place where reality falters and slips into the strange and fantastical.

An Introduction to Yōkai Culture

Author : Kazuhiko Komatsu
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9784916055804
Total Pages : 195 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (558 download)

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Book Synopsis An Introduction to Yōkai Culture by : Kazuhiko Komatsu

Download or read book An Introduction to Yōkai Culture written by Kazuhiko Komatsu and published by . This book was released on 2017-03-27 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Since ancient times, the Japanese have lived with superstitions of strange presences and phenomena known as "yōkai," creating a culture by turns infused with unease, fear, and divinity. Tsukimono spirit possessions. Fearsome kappa, oni, and tengu. Yamauba crones. Ghostly yūrei. Otherworldly ijin ... Where did they come from? Why do they remain so popular? Written by Japan's premier scholar of yōkai and strange tales, this book is both an introduction to the rich imagination and spirituality of Japan's yōkai culture and a history of the authors and writings that have shaped yōkai studies as a field"--Back cover.