Part of Series
A deluxe volume of 15 Japanese folk tales that is sure to impress any fan of cultural and mythological literature with impactful and stunning illustrations by contemporary Japanese artist Kotaro Chiba. A goblin with no body and a monster with no face. A resourceful samurai and a faithful daughter. A spirit of the moon and a dragon king. This collection of 15 traditional Japanese folk tales transports readers to a time of adventure and enchantment. Drawn from the works of folklorists Lafcadio Hearn and Yei Theodora Ozaki, these tales are by turns terrifying, exhilarating, and poetic. POPULAR SERIES: Designed for diehard fairy tale and folklore lovers, the Tales series gives new life to traditional stories. In addition to Tales of Japan, discover Ghostly Tales, Nordic Tales, Celtic Tales, Tales of India, Tales of East Africa, and more. BEAUTIFUL GIFT: With its bold hardcover design, a satin ribbon page marker, and a striking full-page illustration for each story, Tales of Japan makes an impressive gift. Perfect for fans of fairy tales, ghost stories, Greek mythology, Roman mythology, Chinese mythology, Celtic mythology, and folklore and cultural studies from around the globe. READERS LOVE IT: With hundreds of 5-star ratings, reviewers rave that this "absolutely delightful collection of traditional Japanese folktales" is "a must-have for folklore fans." Perfect for: Anyone interested in Japan's history and culture studies Collectors of illustrated classics or artfully designed books Readers who enjoy timeless stories, from the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm to Egyptian mythology to Greek classics Adding to the shelf alongside Stephen Fry’s Greek Mythology trilogy (Mythos, Heroes, Troy), Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology, or Madeline Miller's Circe and Song of Achilles
Authors
Greek-born American writer Lafcadio Hearn spent 15 years in Japan; people note his collections of stories and essays, including Kokoro (1896), under pen name Koizumi Yakumo. Rosa Cassimati (Ρόζα Αντωνίου Κασιμάτη in Greek), a Greek woman, bore Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (Πατρίκιος Λευκάδιος Χερν in Greek or 小泉八雲 in Japanese), a son, to Charles Hearn, an army doctor from Ireland. After making remarkable works in America as a journalist, he went to Japan in 1890 as a journey report writer of a magazine. He arrived in Yokohama, but because of a dissatisfaction with the contract, he quickly quit the job. He afterward moved to Matsué as an English teacher of Shimané prefectural middle school. In Matsué, he got acquainted with Nishida Sentarô, a colleague teacher and his lifelong friend, and married Koizumi Setsu, a daughter of a samurai. In 1891, he moved to Kumamoto and taught at the fifth high school for three years. Kanô Jigorô, the president of the school of that time, spread judo to the world. Hearn worked as a journalist in Kôbé and afterward in 1896 got Japanese citizenship and a new name, Koizumi Yakumo. He took this name from "Kojiki," a Japanese ancient myth, which roughly translates as "the place where the clouds are born". On that year, he moved to Tôkyô and began to teach at the Imperial University of Tôkyô. He got respect of students, many of whom made a remarkable literary career. In addition, he wrote much reports of Japan and published in America. So many people read his works as an introduction of Japan. He quit the Imperial University in 1903 and began to teach at Waseda University on the year next. Nevertheless, after only a half year, he died of angina pectoris.
