Japanese Legends and Folklore: Samurai Tales, Ghost Stories, Legends, Fairy Tales, Myths and Historical Accounts

(Paperback)

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Description

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 people, A.B. Mitford who lived and worked in Japan as a British diplomat presents tales from a broad cross section of Japanese prose. Discover more about practically every part of Japanese life from myth and legend to history and religion.

Reviews

"One of the first and in many ways still one of the best books on Japan." --The Japan Times
"An excellent introduction to Japanese literature." --Mainichi Daily News
"Mitford's collection and observations have held through to today, a century and a half later. His reporting is accurate and reflects the mindset of Japanese people then and now. This book is not only extremely interesting to read but also should be required reading for anyone studying Japanese culture." --Journal of Folklore Research

Author Bio

A.B. Mitford (Lord Redesdale) was a British author and diplomat. He was attache at the British legation in Edo (Tokyo) at the beginning of Japan's turbulent Meiji Restoration and was witness to Japan's opening to the West. His writings were hugely popular and helped shape the West's understanding of Japanese culture.

Michael Dylan Foster is Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Davis. He is the author of The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore (2015), Pandemonium and Parade: Japanese Monsters and the Culture of Yokai (2009), and numerous articles on Japanese folklore, literature and media.