In Ghostly Japan cover art

In Ghostly Japan

Japanese Legends of Ghosts, Yokai, Yurei and Other Oddities

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About this listen

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 12 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
©2021 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd (P)2021 Tantor Asian Fantasy Horror World Literature Haunted Ghost Magic Fiction Scary Japanese Ghost
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Most relevant
First off, the narrators voice (a somewhat moderately strong US accent) I found a little irritating but that's very much a personal preference 'thing'. Content wise, I found this quite an insightful listen. I'd assumed it was a collection of perhaps historical ghost stories set in Japan primarily but I found it to be more a discussion about Japanese culture, including myths. I found the part about the importance and symbolism of incense to be quite interesting.

I really liked, towards the end, a section that consists of proverbs, sayings and short poems. There's some poignant stuff there, definitely. If your intrigued by Japanese culture and this sounds of interest, then yes I'd recommend it, especially as its currently available to listen to for free via the Plus catalogue.

Insightful-thoughtful stuff if not exactly spooky

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