Paperback, 199 pages
Englilsh language
Published July 16, 2022 by Metro-classic.
Stories of wit, stories of cruelty, stories of horror, and stories of life—Folk Tales of Japan is a collection of 28 memorable tales, each accompanied with insights into its cultural and historical background.
Once upon a time, there was a place where anyone who reached the age of sixty had to be abandoned deep in the woods on a hill called Ubasute-yama. The ruler of the region thought that all the elderly did was consume crops without making themselves useful. One day...
A long time ago, there was a skilled samurai by the name of Kurohara Kanbei in the town of Suekichi in Kagoshima. Kanbei was only a meter tall (3.3 feet), but he always had a sword that was at least twice as long as his own height hanging from his waist...
A long time ago, there were many tourists who traveled up to the old capital of Nara …
Stories of wit, stories of cruelty, stories of horror, and stories of life—Folk Tales of Japan is a collection of 28 memorable tales, each accompanied with insights into its cultural and historical background.
Once upon a time, there was a place where anyone who reached the age of sixty had to be abandoned deep in the woods on a hill called Ubasute-yama. The ruler of the region thought that all the elderly did was consume crops without making themselves useful. One day...
A long time ago, there was a skilled samurai by the name of Kurohara Kanbei in the town of Suekichi in Kagoshima. Kanbei was only a meter tall (3.3 feet), but he always had a sword that was at least twice as long as his own height hanging from his waist...
A long time ago, there were many tourists who traveled up to the old capital of Nara to see the great statue of Buddha but had used up all their money by the time they got there. There was one such old man who...
There is always some truth in legends and folk tales, and indeed, each story in this anthology is a doorway to understanding the life and ideas of Japanese people back in time. The impermanence of happiness, the awe of nature and the supernatural, and the celebration of nifty workarounds (also, powerful women and rather helpless men) are all integral components of Japanese culture and are all themes that recur throughout the book.
An excellent entry point into Japanese culture for readers who are curious to learn about Japan, and a wellspring of new perspectives for Japanese culture enthusiasts.
The 28 folk tales:
Mother-rid Hill The Old Lady and the Fox The Legend of Princess Kurohimé Tofu Jizō The Fire in the Rice Field The Little Monk who Went to Buy Sake Bring That Mountain Over Here Expert of Lies Drinks with a Ghost Kanbei and the Thief The Shrimp and the Crow Snow Long Ago The Snow Maiden Comes with a Cow The Snow Accomplice The Abyss of the Bull Orc Child-Rearing Ghost Earless Hōichi Volume 27, Number 14 The Girl's Advice The Cow Woman Urashima Tarō The Candle of Life The Mouse and the Old Man Sister Rimes The Carpenter and His Cat The Paper Cats and the Giant Rat The Magical Ashes The Grateful Crane
This book is ideal for readers who are: • Interested in fairytales, folklore, ghost stories, and mythology • Looking to learn about Japanese culture, philosophies, and history • Looking to take a meaningful and healing break from their hard lives and harsh realities • Looking for inspiration for their next art, film or writing projects
A quirky tour of Japanese folk tales with extensive commentary about the meaning, historical context and, the connection to modern Japanese culture. A bit chaotic but, fascinating and easy to read. These are more detailed, more in-depth versions of the sort of stories the author posts daily on Instagram.
