Yanagita Kunio (1875–1962) was the founder of Japanese folklore studies. Sasaki Kizen (1886–1933) was a native of Tono and an avid collector of folk legends. Together they compiled and published The Legends of Tono in Japanese. Ronald A. Morse was Terasaki Professor of Japanese Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is currently a director of the Sangikyo Corporation.

The translation captures the tone of how Japanese tales are told beautifully, following in the tradition of Lafcadio Hearn. The tales aren't changed to suit an accepted Western narrative, which would detract from them. They are highly evocative, bringing to mind a vivid picture of the people, villages, and otherworldly beings, the Yokai, featured in the tales. . . .Fortean Times Verdict: 9/10, A must-read for the shelves of any keen folklorist.

• PrefaceMapJapan’s Traditional Spirit WorldChapter One: Biology and Human EmotionsChapter Two: Souls Adrift between Two Worlds Chapter Three: Family, Kinship, and Household DeitiesChapter Four: Sidestepping Misfortune and EvilChapter Five: Survival on the EdgeChapter Six: Tracking Nature’s Trickster AnimalsChapter Seven: Glimpses of Modern MonstersChapter Eight: No Spirit ForgottenAppendix A: Sasaki Kizen: A Brief Biography of Japan’s GrimmAppendix B: Background to the BookGlossary and Topical IndexAbout the Author

Yanagita Kunio (1875–1962) was the founder of Japanese folklore studies. Sasaki Kizen (1886–1933) was a native of Tono and an avid collector of folk legends. Together they compiled and published The Legends of Tono in Japanese. Ronald A. Morse was Terasaki Professor of Japanese Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is currently a director of the Sangikyo Corporation.

The translation captures the tone of how Japanese tales are told beautifully, following in the tradition of Lafcadio Hearn. The tales aren't changed to suit an accepted Western narrative, which would detract from them. They are highly evocative, bringing to mind a vivid picture of the people, villages, and otherworldly beings, the Yokai, featured in the tales. . . .Fortean Times Verdict: 9/10, A must-read for the shelves of any keen folklorist.

• PrefaceMapJapan’s Traditional Spirit WorldChapter One: Biology and Human EmotionsChapter Two: Souls Adrift between Two Worlds Chapter Three: Family, Kinship, and Household DeitiesChapter Four: Sidestepping Misfortune and EvilChapter Five: Survival on the EdgeChapter Six: Tracking Nature’s Trickster AnimalsChapter Seven: Glimpses of Modern MonstersChapter Eight: No Spirit ForgottenAppendix A: Sasaki Kizen: A Brief Biography of Japan’s GrimmAppendix B: Background to the BookGlossary and Topical IndexAbout the Author