Description
Book SynopsisA delightfully creepy telling of Japanese ghost stories.Japanese folklore is abundant with tales of ghostly creatures and the supernatural. In
Haunted Japan, author Catrien Ross reveals the legends that have been passed down for generations and continue to terrify us today. To research this book on the country's ghosts, demons and paranormal phenomena, Ross collected accounts from across Japan including:
- Sacred Mount Osore, a Japanese gateway to the land of the dead, where people gather to contact those who have passed on
- The Tokyo grave of the samurai Taira no Masakado, where passersby regularly witnessed his ghost until prayers finally laid him to rest
- The mummified remains of the monk Tetsumonkai at the Churenji Temple on Mount Yudono—a place where bizarre happenings are common
- The ruins of Hachioji Castle in Tokyo, which was abandoned for many years because of its many hauntings
The result is an unparalleled insight into the dark corners of the Japanese psyche—a world filled with horrifying creatures including
Oni (demons with fierce and ghastly appearances),
Yurei (Japanese ghosts who inhabit the world of the living), and
Yokai (supernatural monsters). The book also includes several traditional Japanese legends, concluding with two of the most famous ghost stories—that of the wronged wife Oiwa and the tale of the Peony Lantern.
This book is richly illustrated with 32 pages of full-color prints of frightening ghosts and legendary creatures from Japan's shadowy past.
Haunted Japan is the ideal book for anyone interested in exploring the darker side of Japanese history.
Trade Review"…Catrien Ross takes us to a paranormal Japan both ancient and modern, from Tohoku to Kyushu (from northeast to southwest Japan). She describes not only spectacular and famous ghost stories related to ukiyoe, Mt. Osore, Tengu, etc. but also quite a number of supernatural, esoteric religious groups (and associated figures) that appeared between the Meiji Restoration and the end of World War II, when Japan sought to abandon its mystic ancient culture and become 'modern' in the Western Way."
--Kyoto Journal
