Japanese Ghost Stories
Japanese Ghost Stories by Lafcadio Hearn is an illustrated collection published by Penguin on September 24, 2019. This edition, comprising 272 pages, presents a selection of eerie ghost stories that are considered major classics in Japan. Hearn, an Irish writer with a deep appreciation for Japanese culture, weaves tales that feature enchanting yet unsettling elements, such as beautiful princesses who transform into frogs and spectral brides that haunt the living.
Readers will encounter a rich tapestry of phantoms and ghouls drawn from Japanese folklore, including the “rokuro-kubi,” whose heads detach from their bodies at night, and the flesh-eating “jikininki.” The stories reflect Hearn’s mastery of storytelling, blending traditional narratives with his own childhood memories. This collection not only showcases the supernatural but also delves into themes of the occult and horror, making it a significant contribution to the genre.
Official synopsis Publisher
Brilliantly entertaining and eerie ghost stories, regarded as major classics in Japan, by the Irish writer and Japanophile Lafcadio Hearn—whose life inspired bestselling writer Monique Truong’s novel The Sweetest Fruits
A Penguin Classic
In this collection of classic ghost stories from Japan, beautiful princesses turn out to be frogs, paintings come alive, deadly spectral brides haunt the living, and a samurai delivers the baby of a Shinto goddess with mystical help. Here are all the phantoms and ghouls of Japanese folklore: “rokuro-kubi,” whose heads separate from their bodies at night; “jikininki,” or flesh-eating goblins; and terrifying faceless “mujina” who haunt lonely neighborhoods. Lafcadio Hearn, a master storyteller, drew on traditional Japanese folklore, infused with memories of his own haunted childhood in Ireland, to create the chilling tales in Japanese Ghost Stories. They are today regarded in Japan as classics in their own right.
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