I’ve long been a fan of Zack Davisson’s Japanese folklore blog Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai, so I was eager to read his new book, Yūrei: The Japanese Ghost. It did not disappoint.
Davisson traces the origins of the yurei from their basis in Japan’s belief systems and traditions about the dead, starting with early animistic beliefs and their mixture with beliefs from Shintoism and Buddhism. The worlds of the living and the dead are perhaps nearer to each other in the Japanese conception than they are in Western belief systems. Your obligations to your ancestors continue past their deaths — and perhaps their interest in your life outlives their deaths, too. Becoming a ghost might be as simple as dying with something pressing on your mind — and moving on as easy as fulfilling the goal that keeps your ghost here.
The book also presents the literary history of the Japanese ghost story or weird tale (kaidan), beginning with the story behind Maruyama Ōkyo’s famous 18th century painting The Ghost of Oyuki. Oyuki is the prototype of the modern image of the yurei: pale, dressed in white, with no feet; she also graces the cover of the book. From there, we follow the weird tale through Japanese art, Japanese literature (and Chinese contributions to Japanese literature), Noh and Kabuki theater, and film. We learn about the three great yurei of Japan: the lovelorn Otsuya, the vengeful Oiwa, and the earth-bound (or maybe well-bound) Okiku. As with the Latino legends of La Llorona, there are many versions of the stories of Otsuya, Oiwa, and Okiku, and Davisson introduces us to several variations. He also shares other classic ghost tales and legends from Japanese and Buddhist mythology.
Beyond the tales and legends, the real-life histories are interesting, too. We read about the colorful life of Lafcadio Hearn, who introduced much of Japanese folklore to the West, and maybe rekindled in the Japanese an interest in their own stories, too. We get the histories of many prominent actors and playwrites of Kabuki theater, and read how Kabuki costuming also influenced the look of modern yurei. I was especially interested in the story of Ueda Akinari, the humbly-born son of a prostitute who eventually wrote the 18th century masterpiece Ugetsu monogatari (Tales of Moonlight and Rain).
But of course the ghost stories, which Davisson weaves throughout the narrative, are the big draw. The last section of the book — my favorite — is a cornucopia of kaidan: selections from Hearn and translations from several Japanese ghost story collections, some of which I think haven’t been translated to English before. Most of the Hearn selections I’d already read, but it was nice to read them again in light of the additional cultural context. And the other, brand-new (to me) stories were a delight.
Flipping through the book now, it’s amazing how much information managed to fit into such a slim, accessible volume; I couldn’t detail more of what’s in there without this review getting longer than the book itself! Overall, I found the book readable, interesting, and just plain fun. It’s also a really beautiful book: hardcover, full of gorgeous color reproductions of ghostly paintings and prints. If you’re interested in ghost stories, folklore (either Japanese specifically, or in general), or Japanese horror film, you should check out Yūrei: The Japanese Ghost.
Recommended.
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From the moment I saw it and the cool cover design I was already hooked. Kudos to the Publisher and to the author on a very unique, informative and creepy book.I am also the author of several books about ghosts, haunted locations, and similar subjects and this book was really well thought out, written and designed, inside and out. Your book actually gave me the idea for the three books I am writing now, or at least one of the three but they are going to be a trilogy. So, thanks for all the great information on all the different Ghosts, spirits and demons of Japan.I hope one day to have one of our books published in Japan. My wife is Japanese and her family want's me to write a book they can read in Japanese one day.Not much more I can say about how good the book and the writing is in the book. Great job and congratulation to the author on writing my favorite paranormal book in my collection of over 500 books on the subject, other than my own..lolYour book is not even with all my other books in my office. Your book is on the headboard of my bed with my two books that are already out and Oct.1st our 3rd book will be out.So, your wonderful book gets special care and used over and over for research or just to get really creeped out. Everyone knows Japanese ghosts are the scariest ones there are. At least in my opinion, and years of investigating haunted locations in Japan. I have found they are completely different than your North American variety of ghosts.So, Thanks for the great read, great job and great inspiration you gave me by reading this one of a kind book. Now if I could only find a publisher that would go all out on the cover like yours did. I would be set. Thanks again and keep it up.
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 15, 2015
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 28, 2021
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 24, 2018
I am also the author of several books about ghosts, haunted locations, and similar subjects and this book was really well thought out, written and designed, inside and out. Your book actually gave me the idea for the three books I am writing now, or at least one of the three but they are going to be a trilogy. So, thanks for all the great information on all the different Ghosts, spirits and demons of Japan.
I hope one day to have one of our books published in Japan. My wife is Japanese and her family want's me to write a book they can read in Japanese one day.
Not much more I can say about how good the book and the writing is in the book. Great job and congratulation to the author on writing my favorite paranormal book in my collection of over 500 books on the subject, other than my own..lol
Your book is not even with all my other books in my office. Your book is on the headboard of my bed with my two books that are already out and Oct.1st our 3rd book will be out.
So, your wonderful book gets special care and used over and over for research or just to get really creeped out. Everyone knows Japanese ghosts are the scariest ones there are. At least in my opinion, and years of investigating haunted locations in Japan. I have found they are completely different than your North American variety of ghosts.
So, Thanks for the great read, great job and great inspiration you gave me by reading this one of a kind book. Now if I could only find a publisher that would go all out on the cover like yours did. I would be set. Thanks again and keep it up.
I love everything about this book!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 24, 2018
From the moment I saw it and the cool cover design I was already hooked. Kudos to the Publisher and to the author on a very unique, informative and creepy book.Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 24, 2018
I am also the author of several books about ghosts, haunted locations, and similar subjects and this book was really well thought out, written and designed, inside and out. Your book actually gave me the idea for the three books I am writing now, or at least one of the three but they are going to be a trilogy. So, thanks for all the great information on all the different Ghosts, spirits and demons of Japan.
I hope one day to have one of our books published in Japan. My wife is Japanese and her family want's me to write a book they can read in Japanese one day.
Not much more I can say about how good the book and the writing is in the book. Great job and congratulation to the author on writing my favorite paranormal book in my collection of over 500 books on the subject, other than my own..lol
Your book is not even with all my other books in my office. Your book is on the headboard of my bed with my two books that are already out and Oct.1st our 3rd book will be out.
So, your wonderful book gets special care and used over and over for research or just to get really creeped out. Everyone knows Japanese ghosts are the scariest ones there are. At least in my opinion, and years of investigating haunted locations in Japan. I have found they are completely different than your North American variety of ghosts.
So, Thanks for the great read, great job and great inspiration you gave me by reading this one of a kind book. Now if I could only find a publisher that would go all out on the cover like yours did. I would be set. Thanks again and keep it up.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Kevin Archer
A great looking book for the interested reader
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 15, 2015Literature_lover
Scholarly look at ghosts, not many stories!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 2, 2017
