Strange Tales From Japan : 99 Chilling Stories of Yokai, Ghosts, Demons and the Supernatural
I like how to book starts with the author storytelling how his hiking and pilgrimage experience in the countryside of Japan lead him into writing this book.
Hearing tales from the locals sparks his interest and curiosity into knowing more about them as he discovers that each prefecture has its own unique tales.
So he began curating and translating various stories he heard and documents he acquired, consolidating them into 99 short stories, complete with illustrations and paintings.
Whatâs unique and interesting about Japanese folktales is that the ghosts are like humans. Some are good, some are bad. The problem is knowing which is which.
So the stories have a mix of variety. Some are tragic that it breaks your heart, some are funny or wholesome that it makes you smile, some are terrifying that it freaks you out.
Despite of how the stories are categorised based on its genre, I still canât tell how each story goes and how it will end until i finish each chapter. The outcome is always unexpected.
Sometimes itâs good, with a happy or satisfying ending. Sometimes itâs bad, with a sad ending. Sometimes it even end with a cliffhanger leaving you to your own conclusion.
But nonetheless, itâs an enjoyable read as it also provides insight into the unique culture of each prefecture in Japan, making you understand why some customs are that way.
I feel like a Ronin traveling across Japan reading this, with each chapter taking me to a different town, with different characters, ghosts and stories as I try to figure out whatâs going on.
If you feel like reading something thrilling and unexpected, going on misadventures, this is for you. Donât worry, nothing in this book is more terrifying than toxic people. đ€
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Unlike today where you can post countless travel photos on social media for all to see, in Edo Period Japan, people share pictures of beautiful travel destinations via woodblock art.
After years of civil wars and restrictions on individual mobility, travel became a popular leisure activity in Japan, thanks to the development of a network of well built and fairly safe roads.
Like today, traveling provides opportunities to experience culinary and cultural specialties. This enjoyment was reflected vividly in woodblock prints for those who did not get to travel.
These prints were sold or displayed at marketplaces or festivals where people get to see beautiful sceneries of places they had never been to before, which encouraged more to travel.
The historic views of Japan have been preserved over the generations, offering a fascinating perspective on familiar locations for tourists both domestic and foreign today.
In this book, art historian, Andreas Marks, has gathered a selection of detailed woodblock prints depicting scenic spots and cultural icons that still delight visitors today in Japan.
Youâll see what places like Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo looked like in the 19th century. And youâll be surprised to see how the temples and castles look the same but not the background.
Buildings and architectures that have withstood the test of time, being rebuilt or preserved from Edo Period till today, which makes Japan one of the most unique travel destinations.
A pleasant read for travel and Japan enthusiasts who love photography and art. As each woodblock print has a story of its own through the eyes of the Japanese artists.
The back catalog of Tuttle, which traces its history in Japan to 1948, is in high demand, and it has even branched out to graphic novel vers
For those who read widely and take an interest in Asia â likely readers of this article â chances are they will have picked up a book put out by Tuttle Publishing at one time or another.
History of Tuttle Publishing
While the Tuttle family business can be traced back to 1832, making it one of the oldest American publishers still in operation, according to the company, the Japan presence was established in 1948 when Charles Tuttle, noticed a gap in the market.
Initially arriving in Japan to work in the newspaper industry as part of the American Occupation, Tuttle later began importing American books for U.S. troops stationed in the country, and ferrying Japanese books back to the United States for interested readers.
He later opened what was reportedly Tokyo's first English-language bookstore, before publishing thousands of Asia-focused books himself. Before his death, Tuttle was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure by Emperor Showa for his work.
Tuttle Publishing and Japan
Tuttleâs longtime presence in the market means it has an extensive back catalog that is now in high demand, fueled by the current boom in interest in Japanese culture. As interest in Japanese authors has grown, so has demand for Tuttle's early print editions.
âBecause theyâre hard to get hold of ... they can go for silly prices sometimes, because people collect them or tourists want Japanese literature,â he said. Tourists in particular go straight for them, as theyâre hungry for Japanese stories to take home as souvenirs.
Prints vs Digital and AI
Despite people long decrying the death of print or the end of books, the publishing industry is growing stronger. During the pandemic in 2020, Tuttle saw a surge in book sales, and while this has subsided somewhat, âbook sales are now higher than before the pandemic.â
Personally, although reading digitally on tablets is much more convenient and save space on bookshelf, the feeling of holding something physical, the smell of books and the sense of detachment from the world in going offline is something that readers love.
Below are 10 books that I have read from Tuttle Publishing that I would recommend those who are interested in Japanese culture.
A Brief History of Japan
The perfect book to understand Japan's history as it sums up everything concisely, not too brief and not too detailed.
A History of Japan in Manga
If you're not into reading books full of texts and more of a visual reader, then this one is for you as it's explained with manga.
The Heikei Story
The defining moment in history where the warrior class Samurai began to rise to its prominence to overthrow the Imperials.
Hiroshige's Japan
Join a French artist as he explores the old Tokaido Road that once connected Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto as he shares his illustrations.
Japan Journeys
A collection of woodblock printing art which journals the travelers experience in Edo Period moving from one prefecture to the other.
My Travels in Japan
A cute travel diary which accounts her travel experience in modern Japan which consists of illustrations of places she visited.
Japan in 100 Words
Everything you need to know about Japan, from its culture, tradition, philosophy, food and pop culture, categorised into 100 sections.
Samurai Castles
History and design of the architecture of the iconic castles, which shows the uniqueness of each castle with photos and drawings.
Manga Yokai Stories
The short stories of Yokai and how they came to be, which are meant to demonstrate the humanity and tragedy of life.
Lady Murasaki's Tale of Genji
A story written by a Heian woman who envisions her version of an ideal man and depicts the life in the Imperial court of her time.
A collection of tales consolidated by a Greek-Irish writer named Lafcadio Hearn who lived in Japan in 1904 and was fascinated by the stories he read and hear that he put them together into a book called âKwaidanâ.
He finds the stories fascinating as itâs not the type of horror stories you would expect but rather presented in a different way focusing on the human nature of the ghosts like regrets, anger, loneliness and sorrow.
It is essentially a story of letting go of the past and moving on in life as the ghosts return from the dead because they want vengeance against those who wronged them in life, to be with their loved ones who they still miss.
Or even wanting a second chance in life after messing up in their unfulfilling life but canât. So they are unable to die in peace and move on to the next world because their heart and soul are still clinging on to the world, to the past.
A page turner filled with interesting stories with plot twists making you wonder if they are able to search for inner peace or what they are looking for and wonder if the story goes the way you expect it to.
The illustrations by Inko Ai Takita is simply beautiful, with a blend of typical manga style and a touch of realism to it which helps in the dramatisation of the stories as you can feel the emotions showed by the characters.
A good book to read if youâre interested in Japanese culture and folktales. Or if you love art and appreciate the amazing artwork and is more of a visual reader like me who likes reading books with illustrations.
The Encyclopaedia of Japan, from Anime to Zen. Take a tour of Japanese Culture in 100 words, from art, cuisine, festival, philosophy to pop culture with this illustrated dictionary.The artistic illustrations by Ayano Otani on every page give you an idea the topics which makes it a pleasant journey in understanding everything you want to know about Japan.To me, itâs a good foundation that let you know about Japan as a whole, both good and bad, before you read other books that cover more in depth details of various topics.
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Journey across the old Tokaido Road connecting Tokyo to Kyoto in Edo Period through the eyes of the French artist Philippe Delord as he explores the 53 post towns along the scenic route.
Utagawa Hiroshige is famous for his artwork depicting the route in 1832. 200 years later, Philippe Delord set out on his own journey as he re-discover this mythical road on his scooter.
He documented his findings in this illustrative journal where he share historical paintings, personal sketches and commentaries as he attempts to retrace all the exact spots.
Itâs like watching a travel road trip vlog as he describes the uniqueness of each town along the route, such as the food, festivals, scenery, people, culture, architecture and more.
As someone who loves hiking in nature, this is a very pleasant read. I love browsing through it after a long day of work while listening to meditative music and imagine myself walking there.
Hope to go hiking in Japan one day and explore the post towns seaside route such as this or the mountainside route like the famous Nakasendo Trail wandering around like a Ronin.
A cute story of Japan which makes you feel like youâre watching anime. The long and complex history which are summarised, focusing on key events and people that shaped the country to what it is today.
From the ancient times, when Japan was ruled by a Queen to the feudal era of Samurai, the rise of Imperialism to the modern day Japan that we know of today. Includes portraits, photos, maps and trivia.
It shows the hardship and resilience they went through since ancient times, faced with countless civil wars and natural disasters. How they cling to religion like Shintoism and Buddhism to ease the burden and suffering.
It is a good attempt to get people to be interested in reading history, especially the young, through visual reading that is simple enough to understand with the explanations and illustrations for every events.
It is a good read for someone with zero knowledge of history and wants to have an idea of the timeline. It is not as comprehensive as books but it is enough to equip you with basic knowledge.
As someone who reads the history, I know that itâs too long and complex to be shorten so there are a couple of details and people that are left out. Nonetheless would definitely recommend this to those interested in history.
The places that inspires the artists ateliersento of their new graphic novel, âFestival of Shadowsâ by Tuttle Publishing
âMost of âFestival of Shadowsâ takes place in the countryside, in the valley where Naoko - the main protagonist - lives. The place is fictional but the backgrounds are inspired by the region of Niigata where we lived, on the west coast of Japan: old wooden houses, rice fields and mountains, etc.â â
"Oddly, during our current trip in Tokyo, we often come across details that remind us of our daily life in the countryside: narrow streets of old buildings lined up, small retro tea rooms, flowering trees, small trains and small level crossings.â â " The kind of atmosphere that we tried to transcribe in Festival of Shadows."â