2 years ago
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I perfectly emotion diving into books that are steeped successful mythology oregon folklore. It’s specified a large mode to larn astir antithetic cultures, beryllium it done nonfiction oregon fiction. I deliberation it’s fascinating erstwhile radical get to speech astir their ain taste inheritance and past usage that arsenic a jumping disconnected constituent oregon inspiration for their book.
And that would beryllium the hope, right? That radical who beryllium oregon place with that taste inheritance would person archetypal dibs — that astir books would beryllium written from this position and frankincense person a definite furniture of authenticity. This is the champion lawsuit scenario, but I deliberation we each cognize that this doesn’t ever happen.
As I started probe for this piece, thing became alarmingly wide aft conscionable a fewer hours: determination are mode excessively fewer books astir Japanese mythology and folklore written by existent Japanese people. Now let’s unpack this a little. I’m perfectly not saying that determination can’t beryllium appreciation for antithetic cultures, including wanting to constitute an relationship of everything idiosyncratic has learned while, say, surviving overseas oregon spending years studying a place. And to beryllium fair, determination are cases wherever Japanese illustrators were included successful the project. But it’s disappointing that truthful fewer books connected this taxable travel from radical who person a Japanese background. Also, successful caller years, books astir Japanese mythology/folklore person been mostly dominated by YA phantasy — which there’s thing incorrect with, but it’s worthy noting.
This database has immoderate nonfiction titles leaning much towards humanities accounts and encyclopedia-like formats. We’ve besides got fiction, wherever the main storyline has been based aft oregon has taken inspiration from Japanese mythology/folklore. Let’s get started!
Japanese Mythology Books: Nonfiction
Japanese Mythology: A Captivating Guide to Japanese Folklore, Myths, Fairy Tales, Yokai, Heroes and Heroines by Matt Clayton
If you’re starting astatine the precise opening erstwhile it comes to speechmaking astir Japanese folklore, prime up this guide. Clayton covers everything from instauration stories to a treatment of the underworld. What I liked astir this publication specifically is that the writer looks astatine the beingness of a “fractured mythology” and however we tin effort to hint everything backmost to Japan arsenic a singular nation, adjacent though stories look to beryllium fragmented and from antithetic areas.
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Tales of Moonlight and Rain by Akinari Ueda
This publication was archetypal published successful 1776 and contains a postulation of stories from Japanese lore, centering connected fearfulness and tales of the occult. There are 9 fantastically twisted stories successful this postulation diagnostic everything and thing from demons to goblins. And if Japanese fearfulness is your thing, cheque retired eight of the champion Japanese fearfulness reads!
The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore by Michael Dylan Foster
Fantastical beings are mostly known arsenic “yokai” successful Japanese culture, and this publication is an instauration to each of the monsters, ghosts, goblins, kappas, etc. Author Michael Dylan Foster studied and researched for years successful Japan and helium brings his immense cognition of the taxable to this book, tying successful the yokai to existent and humanities examples, arsenic good arsenic their roots successful Japanese culture.
The Kojiki: An Account of Ancient Matters by Ō nary Yasumaro
The Kojiki is really the oldest known Japanese chronicle — we’re talking backmost from the aboriginal 8th century! Author Ō nary Yasumaro was commissioned by past Empress Genmei to make a postulation of myths that halfway astir the main 4 islands that marque up Japan, the ground of which would go Shinto practices and mythology.
Japanese Mythology Books: Fiction
Kitsune-Tsuki by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Serving arsenic a novella intro to a larger bid known arsenic Kitsune Tales, Kitsune-Tsuki focuses connected Tsurugu nary Kiyomori, who is hired to support a warlord’s caller bride from a kitsune (a fox tone often malevolent successful nature). In lawsuit you’re caller to kitsune lore, kitsunes besides person the quality to instrumentality quality signifier — making it adjacent much hard to find these spirits. Tsuguru is forced to marque a concern with an improbable ally, which adds unforeseen complications.
Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa
In different communicative featuring kitsunes, Yumeko is simply a half-kitsune and has been taught her full beingness to fell her magical side. After her household is killed and she is forced to beryllium connected the tally with the temple’s astir invaluable treasure, she crosses paths with Tatsumi, a sage of the renowned Shadow Clan. Yumeko soon discovers that Tatsumi is connected a ngo to retrieve the scroll she’s protecting, and truthful adds different concealed she has to keep.
Seven Deadly Shadows by Courtney Alameda and Valynne E. Maetani
Diving into stories of the yokai (like galore of the nonfiction books featured!), we conscionable 17-year-old Kira, who has been hiding the concealed that she tin spot yokai. And with an absent household and nary friends astatine school, she has nary 1 to archer anyways. But things escalate rapidly erstwhile Kira learns that the demon king, Shuten-doji, volition emergence again soon and bring the extremity of the world. No large deal, right? So Kira indispensable find immoderate enactment to assistance her successful her combat against Shuten-doji.
The Girl From the Well by Rin Chupeco
Taking a spot of a crook here, successful this publication we conscionable our main narrator, Okiku, who is an omnipotent, morally grey spirit. Think of a Dexter-like shade who goes aft murderers and rapists. She herself was murdered and (you guessed it) her assemblage was thrown down a good astir 300 years ago. When she meets a caller unusual boy, they some go drawn into Shinto exorcisms and different purification rituals.
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