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'A modern day Lafcadio Hearn is picking up his ghostly torch. Zack Davisson is the author, translator, and folklorist following in Hearn's footsteps.'--tofugu.comMysterious demons, ghosts and monsters have haunted Japan for centuries! The Ultimate Guide to Japanese Yokai presents 100 of the strangest creatures you have ever seen--from evil demons and terrifying monsters to mythical ghosts and enchanted beasts.In this book, Yokai expert Zack Davisson explains how Yokai are highly elusive, and yet without understanding them you will never truly know Japan. The Yokai profiled in this book include:Amabie: A mysterious half fish, half bird creature said to heal any affliction merely by gazing upon its imageTofu Kozo: A harmless Yokai that appears like a young child dressed in a fancy kimono with a straw hat carrying a plate of wobbly tofuKyokotsu: The pitiful spirit of a person who was thrown down a well and died--with pale skin and a shock of white hair growing from a bleached-white skullAkaname: A disgusting Yokai who skitters about licking the scum from filthy bathtubsKanibozu: Massive crabs, who shapeshift into human form, disguising themselves as monks asking riddles, but killing anyone who fails to answer correctly!And many more!Packed with interesting facts and entertaining stories, this book is richly illustrated with over 250 color woodblock prints and paintings that reveal the fascinating world of the Yokai.

Learn about Japanese culture while improving your language skills!Japanese Folktales for Language Learners presents 22 traditional stories in parallel Japanese and English versions on facing pages, with detailed notes and exercises aimed at beginning to intermediate learners. This book can be used as a language reader and will be of great interest to anyone wishing to learn more about Japanese culture and folklore.The stories in this collection gradually increase in length and complexity as the book progresses. They include:'The Candy-Buying Ghost'- A female ghost mysteriously buys candy every night from a small village shop, until one night she reveals her true identity and her tragic story.'The Old Man Who Made Trees Blossom'- Regarded as one of the? ve greatest Japanese folktales, this touching story tells of a kind old man who uses his magical powers for good.'The Abandoned Mother'- An elderly woman is abandoned at the top of a mountain by her own son, a reference to the old practice of senicide in Japan. Vocabulary lists, cultural notes, exercises and discussion questions help to reinforce an understanding of the stories and bolster language skills. Free online recordings of all the stories are provided.

'Filled with now-familiar favorites, along with lesser known yet equally delightful tales, this enduring collection presents stories to enchant and enlighten young readers.'-- School Library JournalFrom singing turtles and flying farmers to a weeping dragon and rice bags that replenish themselves, readers of all ages will find engaging characters and moments of magic in these beloved Japanese folk tales.The stories in this collection include:The Magic Mortar--A tale that explains why the sea is saltyHow to Fool a Cat--A funny story about a clever woodworkerThe Rolling Mochi Cakes--Good food, a beautiful song and a lesson on the benefits of sharing with othersThe Dragon's Tears--A sweet tale about first impressions, kindness and inclusivityBroken up into 16 folk tales, this book will become a go-to for bedtime and storytime. Kids (and adults!) will have the opportunity to learn more about Japanese culture in a fun, accessible way.

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 great story can lead a reader on a journey of discovery--especially if it's presented in two languages! Beautifully illustrated in a traditional style, Japanese Stories for Language Learners offers five compelling stories with English and Japanese language versions appearing on facing pages. Taking learners on an exciting cultural and linguistic journey, each story is followed by detailed translator's notes, Japanese vocabulary lists, and grammar points along with a set of discussion questions and exercises. The first two stories are very famous traditional Japanese folktales: Urashima Taro (Tale of a Fisherman) and Yuki Onna (The Snow Woman). These are followed by three short stories by notable 20th century authors: Kumo no Ito (The Spider's Thread) by Akutagawa Ryunosuke (1892-1927)Oborekaketa Kyodai (The Siblings Who Almost Drowned) by Arishima Takeo (1878-1923)Serohiki no Goshu (Gauche the Cellist) by Miyazawa Kenji (1896-1933)Reading these stories in the original Japanese script--and hearing native-speakers read them aloud in the accompanying free audio recording--helps students at every level deepen their comprehension of the beauty and subtlety of the Japanese language. Learn Japanese the fun way--through the country's rich literary history.

With unique and playful illustrations this multicultural children's book is a classic Japanese fairy tale that young children and parents alike will love.The Last Kappa of Old Japan is a warmly written and beautifully illustrated bilingual Japanese children's book that introduces many aspects of traditional Japanese culture and folklore, while teaching an important lesson about environmentalism. The story is of a young Japanese farm boy who develops a friendship with a mythical creature— the kappa—a messenger of the god of water. The tale begins in post-Modern Japan when the boy is young and the kappa is healthy and ends when the kappa, now the last one left on Earth, keeps an important promise to his human friend. A story of love, friendship, and adventure, readers of all ages will enjoy this picture book by award-winning author/illustrator, Sunny Seki. This bilingual edition includes Japanese text alongside the english, making it a great way for kids to lean Japanese.

With unique and playful illustrations this multicultural children's book is a classic Japanese fairy tale that young children and parents alike will love.The Last Kappa of Old Japan is a warmly written and beautifully illustrated children's book that introduces many aspects of traditional Japanese culture and folklore, while teaching an important lesson about environmentalism. The story is of a young Japanese farm boy who develops a friendship with a mythical creature-- the kappa--a messenger of the god of water. The tale begins in post-Modern Japan when the boy is young and the kappa is healthy and ends when the kappa, now the last one left on Earth, keeps an important promise to his human friend. A story of love, friendship, and adventure, readers of all ages will enjoy this picture book by award-winning author/illustrator, Sunny Seki.

Learn Japanese and enjoy folktales at the same time with this whimsically illustrated multicultural children's book! This bilingual edition of A Treasury of Japanese Folktales--presented in both English and Japanese--contains 12 of the best Japanese legends and fairy tales, told to generation after generation of Japanese children. Originally written in English by Yuri Yasuda, based on her interpretations of traditional Japanese tales, these charming stories of rich imagination are now accompanied by Japanese text by Yumi Matsunari and Yumi Yamaguchi. The Japanese text includes basic kanji accompanied by furigana to help beginning learners to recognize and learn the characters.Adventures carry us, on turtle-back, to the splendors of the underwater palace of the dragon princess, to the beautiful hills where Kintaro plays with his animal friends, and to a temple where we discover a'tea kettle'that is really a cunning badger in disguise.The 98 color illustrations, executed with great skill and imagination, bring to life the charming characters of these heart-warming tales of old Japan, which include:Shitakiri Suzume, the Tongue-Cut SparrowKintaro, the Strong BoyKaguya Hime, the Luminous PrincessMomotaro, the Peach BoyBunbuku Chagama, the Lucky Cauldron

Experience the wonder and excitement that Japan's classic tales bring to story time or bedtime with this multicultural children's book. This Japanese children's book welcomes readers to a fantastic world populated by singing turtles, boys who wrestle wolves, and a host of other beloved characters who have lived on for centuries in the traditional tales of Japan. Drawn from Japanese folklore passed down from generation to generation, the six enchanting stories collected in this volume have been lovingly retold for today's readers. Vibrantly illustrated and full of thrilling adventures, funny discoveries, and important lessons, they're sure to become future favorites. Included in this multicultural children's book are some of Japan's best-loved stories: The Rolling Rice Cakes How to Fool a Cat The Princess and the Herdboy Saburo the Eel-Catcher The Singing Turtle Kintaro's AdventuresThese traditional tales, although entertaining, also provide kids with an excellent introduction to Japanese culture. Kintaro's Adventures And Other Japanese Children's Favorite Stories is the answer to anyone searching for traditional Japanese books for children to add to their home library.

This colorfully illustrated multicultural children's book presents several Japanese fairy tales and other folk stories--providing insight into a rich oral culture. Welcome to a fantastic world populated by magical teakettles, long-nosed goblins, brave warriors, and a host of other beloved characters who have lived on for centuries in the traditional tales of Japan. Drawn from Japanese folklore that has been passed down from generation to generation, the nine enchanting stories collected in this volume have been lovingly retold just for today's readers. They make perfect new additions for story time or bedtime reading. Vibrantly illustrated and full of thrilling adventures, funny discoveries and important lessons, they're sure to become story time favorites. Included are some of Japan's best-loving children stories: Peach Boy The Magic Teakettle Monkey-Dance and Sparrow-Dance The Long-Nosed Goblins The Rabbit in the Moon The Rabbit in the Moon The Tongue-Cut Sparrow Sill Saburo The Toothpick Warriors The Sticky-Sticky Pine

With this multicultural children's book, your whole family can experience the wonder and excitement that Japan's classic tales bring to story time or bedtime reading. Welcome to a fantastic world populated by lonely dragons, adventuresome boys, magical elves, and a host of other beloved characters who have lived on for centuries in the traditional tales of Japan. Drawn from folklore passed down from generation to generation, the ten enchanting stories collected in this Japanese book for children have been lovingly retold just for today's readers. Vibrantly illustrated in full color and packed with thrilling adventures, funny discoveries, and valuable lessons, they're sure to become story time favorites. Included are some of Japan's best-loved stories: Urashima Taro The Fairy Crane The Dragon's Tears The Sandal-Seller The Robe of Feathers The Old Man with a Wen The Flying Farmer The Magic Mortar The Biggest in the World Why the Red Elf CriedReaders of any age will find much to love and return to time and time again in Urashima Taro & Other Japanese Children's Favorite Stories. These traditional tales, although entertaining, also provide kids with an inclusive introduction to Japanese culture.

The 15 classic essays collected in Kokoro examine the inner spiritual life of Japan. The title itself can be translated as'heart,''spirit'or'inner meaning,'and that's exactly what this collection teaches us about Japan. Sometimes touching and always compelling, the writings here tell the stories of the people and social codes that make Japan the unique place it is.'Kimiko'paints the portrait of a beautiful geisha;'By Force of Karma'tells the story of a Buddhist monk; and in'A Conservative,'we come to know the thoughts and actions of a Samurai. As an early interpreter of Japan to the West, Lafcadio Hearn was without parallel in his time. His numerous books about that country were read with a fascination that was a tribute to his keen powers of observation and the vividness of his descriptions. Today, even though Japan has changed greatly from what it was when he wrote about it, his writing is still valid, for it captures the essence of the country--an essence that has actually changed a good deal less than outward appearances might suggest. In a word, the Japanese character and the Japanese tradition are still fundamentally the same as Hearn found them to be, and for this reason, his books are still extremely revealing to readers in the West.

The Japanese have two kinds of ghosts in their folklore--the spirits of the dead, and the spirits of the living. This classic of Japanese literature invites you to take your choice if you dare.In Ghostly Japan collects twelve ghostly stories from Lafcadio Hearn, deathless images of ghosts and goblins, touches of folklore and superstition, salted with traditions of the nation. While some of these stories contain nightmare imagery worthy of a midnight creature feature, others are not ghostly or ghastly at all.'Bits of Poetry'offers an engaging study on verse, and'Japanese Buddhist Proverbs'explains the meaning of several aphorisms based on Japanese cultural references.Whether you're looking to spot the demons that walk among us, or simply to enjoy the prose of a legendary craftsman, In Ghostly Japan affords countless delights. Stories include:'Fragment'about a young pilgrim who encounters a mountain of skulls'Ingwa-banashi'about a dying wife who bequeaths a rival a sinister legacy'A Passional Karma'about a spectral beauty who returns for her handsome samurai lover

This compilation of twenty-one favorite fairy tales introduces the rich world of Japanese fantasy, a world of ghouls, goblins, and ogres; sea serpents and sea kings; kindly animals and magic birds; demons and dragons; princes and princesses. In'My Lord Bag of Rice'goldfish dancers and carp musicians delight the brave warrior Hidesato; in'The Mirror of Matsuyama'a lonely daughter endures her fate with the help of a'shining disc'given by her departed mother;'The Jellyfish and the Monkey'explains how that sea creature lost its bones; and the hero of'Momotaro,'a tale familiar to every child in Japan, is born from a peach that washes up on a riverbank. Settings and characters vary from tale to tale but the effect of each story in this volume is the same—to transport the reader, young or old, to mysterious shores, magical kingdoms, and mythical lands. The Japanese Fairy Book is a wondrous introduction to Japan's rich fantasy tradition.