Customer Reviews (2)

Not for beginners, great none the less
I purchased this book thinking that it would be a very good source for beginners, it is not.

However this book is a MUST HAVE for more advanced tea ceremony praticioners. The book is very detailed and contains a vast wealth of knowledge and information. The book has a history section, and even goes itno the various elements of tea gardens. Everything and anything I can think of is covered in this book, its an amazing reference.

If you are a beginner look elsewhere - this book is perfect for indepth knowledge and research into the matter.

An important overview, with fascinating anecdotes.
I have the ninth edition (1989) which does not credit Michele Sadler.This is the most enjoyable and informative overview of the topic I have yet found. It covers everything from the shapes of the tea kettles to thelandscape design surrounding famous tea rooms.

The book is interestingin that it discusses many particulars of the tea ceremony and itsequipment, but balances this information nicely with many anecdotes whichconvey the "feeling" of the tea ceremony.The book also providesthe reader with valuable historical insight about the development of thetea ceremony.

An important feature of the book is that the index containsthe Kanji characters for the items listed.

I did not give the book a fivestar rating because it has black and white plates which do not adequatelyconvey the colors of the tea bowls, and because many particulars of the teaceremony could have been given more comprehensive treatment.

I have,however, re-read my copy several times, and I think that it is well worthadding to your book collection. ... Read more

Book Description
Written by imperial command in the eighth century, The Kojiki is the oldest surviving Japanese book. This compendium of early Japanese life provides a panorama of Japan during its formation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

More for Study than Leisure
I got this book just because i was interested in the stories. while this book includes the entire Kojiki, it is on only about the top 1/3 of each page. the other 2/3 of each page are explanations and background information.Really good for studies or research, but much more information than i need.

A Pain Beyond All Pain Unless You're Fluent in Latin
I did not realize that aside from the English language, one would also need a Latin language background.Add to that the way Victorian/Edwardians translated stuff and you get problems when things like translating names add to the complications.For instance:when is a name not a name?Well, instead of translating a proper name such as "Robert" to "Robert", "Robert" is translated to "Bright Fame."Tack on other descriptiveness and you get a headache - "His August Mighty Brightness met with Her Supreme Lovely Brightness" and you get the idea.Two stars for effort but for the average "Joe" (or the meaning of Joseph is "God shall add (another son)") I'd pass this on by.

A Royal Pain to Read
The Kojiki is the seminal work of Japan's Shinto belief system.There's no understanding Shintoism (and Japan) without it.
Unfortunately, for those of us who speak English, but not Japanese, a good translation is hard and expensive to find.Basil Hall Chamberlain's is the earliest, dating bck to the late 19th century.Unfortunately, this translation suffers from the worst of the furbelows and obfuscations of the late Victorian/Edwardian era.This includes rendering into Latin anything a Victorian scholar might consider a naughty bit.I hope the new edition coming out in September translates the translation for those of us who didn't attend Oxford.

All in all, you're better off with Donald Phillipe's (Sp?) more recent and lucid translation.But since that, too, is hard and expensive to find, take what you can get.The Kojiki's worth it. ... Read more

Book Description
Matsuo Basho (1644-94) is considered Japan's greatest haiku poet. Narrow Road to the Interior (Oku no Hosomichi) is his masterpiece. Ostensibly a chronological account of the poet's five-month journey in 1689 into the deep country north and west of the old capital, Edo, the work is in fact artful and carefully sculpted, rich in literary and Zen allusion and filled with great insights and vital rhythms. In Basho's Narrow Road: Spring and Autumn Passages, poet and translator Hiroaki Sato presents the complete work in English and examines the threads of history, geography, philosophy, and literature that are woven into Basho's exposition. He details in particular the extent to which Basho relied on the community of writers with whom he traveled and joined in linked verse (renga) poetry sessions, an example of which, A Farewell Gift to Sora, is included in this volume. In explaining how and why Basho made the literary choices he did, Sato shows how the poet was able to transform his passing observations into words that resonate across time and culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Japanese journey during the 17th century
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (9/06)

Matsuo Basho (1644-94) was a famous Japanese haiku poet.In 1689, he took a 1,233 mile journey across Japan.His travels lasted five months.He was joined by his friend Kawai Sora. Basho wrote about this trip. He titled it, "Oku No Hosomichi," which translates to "Narrow Road to the Interior."This story is considered to be a masterpiece of Japanese literature.He took four years to write it and revise it.

Basho started this trip when his house burned down.He had two goals.One goal was spiritual; it involved "poetic truth."The other goal was a practical one in which he would use his travels to become well known as a poet.Sora developed stomach problems and had to end his travels with Basho.Basho wrote a short piece for him.In the second part of this book, there is a translation of "A Farewell Gift to Sora."

Basho funded his travels with donations from wealthy friends and students.He felt that there were three types of poets.The first type is confused noisemakers.The second type is wealthy people who desire to write instead of gossip.The third type is poets who work hard at writing true poetry.These poets write to "soothe their heart."Basho was the third type of poet.

Hiroaki Sato includes annotations to go along with the writings.This adds richness to the story and helps explain more about the culture and what was happening at the time.I read the story first with the annotations to gain understanding of what I was reading; then I went back and reread the story by itself so that I could feel how it flowed.Without the annotations, I would have enjoyed Basho's story, but I would not have understood much of what was written.Sato also includes pages of notes and commentaries.This is a well researched piece."Basho's Narrow Road" is a beautiful story about Basho's travels.In it he reflects on the beauty of the countryside and the spirit of the people that he encounters.

I recommend "Basho's Narrow Road" to people that enjoy Japanese poetry, especially Haiku.It would also be a great book to use for a college literature class.I really enjoyed Basho's journey.

Nice
This was the first time that I have read Basho's Narrow Road to Oku, snd I enjoyed it a great deal. Actually I read it twice this week. The first time I read through it I tried to read it without using the notes. I was lazy, so it came out that I really didn't enjoy what I was reading because I really didn't know what was going on throughout most of the book, so I read it again using the notes, and I got much more out of it. The annotations are on the left page while the actual text is on the right page, so there is no flipping to the back of the book every time that you need to look up something. There are endnotes that give more information about the haiku Basho writes. This is a very cool book, that gives the reader a glimpse at the literary world of japan back during the 17th century.

To start with it's Basho.
This is a very well translated and annotated edition of this great work. ... Read more

Book Description
In Ghostly Japan collects twelve stories from celebrated author Lafcadio Hearn. Some of these stories are ghostly and ghastly, while others are wonderfully benign. Whether he's telling a ghost story or explaining a Buddhist proverb, Hearn's writings are never less than enthralling.
Download Description
One night, at a very late hour, Tomozo heard the voice of a woman in his master's apartment; and this made him uneasy. He feared that Shinzaburo, being very gentle and affectionate, might be made the dupe of some cunning wanton,--in which event the domestics would be the first to suffer. He therefore resolved to watch; and on the following night he stole on tiptoe to Shinzaburo's dwelling, and looked through a chink in one of the sliding shutters. By the glow of a night-lantern within the sleeping-room, he was able to perceive that his master and a strange woman were talking together under the mosquito-net. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Like Meeting a Buddha in Hell
In my snobbier moments I'm somewhat annoyed when people read a book because they saw its movie adaptation. Why not start at the source? It's a sad, sad day indeed when it takes Hollywood to get people to sit down with a good, classic book. Etcetera etcetera. Well, here I am, guilty of much the same, the karmic consequences of my snobbery having come back around to bite me. Years ago I saw the film "Kwaidan" (based on Lafcadio Hearn's retellings of traditional Japanese ghost tales) and loved it, and that's basically what inspired me to read "In Ghostly Japan" here. Which means that I was misled by the title just a bit, for this book is a mixed bag of short pieces, some of which are ghost tales but many of which are not, or not exactly anyway. This was a pleasant surprise, however. Hearn writes of Buddhism in real, down-to-earth Japanese culture (for this, if anything, is the overarching theme of the miscellany, the ghost stories being folkloric examples of Buddhist causality and karma) in an eloquent, personal style redolent of the Romantic flowing rhythms of late 19th-century prose but undergirded by a very solid but understated, unpretentious erudition. The guy knows what he's talking about. His keenly observant and sympathetic eye catches how Buddhism really operates in the Japanese imagination and how it manifests in proverbs and customs and such, but he then goes on to shed much light on these phenomena by analyzing and interpreting them in terms of formal Buddhist scriptures and doctrines--all of which sounds like pretty dry stuff, but it's actually enjoyable and fascinating, even entertaining, due to Hearn's wonderful presentation. Somehow he transcended the tired, misleading "great tradition"/"little tradition" dichotomy (a.k.a. the elite/folk religion dichotomy) before it even started and deftly avoided the twin pitfalls of Anthropology and Buddhist Studies early in the game--all without a bunch of tedious methodological navel-meditating. And what's more, he did so in style! The spooky tales of the karmically unquiet are cool too, of course. Once you start reading, there's not a ghost of a chance you'll be able to put this book down.

A study of Japanese ghostly traditions
"In Ghostly Japan" is a collection of old ghost stories, traditions dealing with ghosts, and personal ruminations on the afterlife by the turn-of-the-century Japanese scholar Lufcadio Hearn.

Much of the collection is short essays on Japanese traditions such as "Incense," and how incense relates to ghosts in terms of the Shinto and Buddhist religion. There is a true story of an accurate fortune teller know to the author, in "A Story of Divination." "Bits of Poetry" and "Japanese Buddhist Proverbs" translates and teaches several bits of Japanese lore as they relate to the world of the dead.

Some essays, such as "Silkworms," are pure conjecture, relating the human ideals of paradise to the daily lives of silkworms. "Suggestion" is a conversation between the author and a monk on the nature of gender and re-birth in the Buddhist tradition.

Of true ghost stories, there are few. Many of the ghost stories, such as "Furisode," begin with a short lesson about something Japanese, in this case a long-sleeved Kimono known as a Furisode, and then relates a ghost story dealing with the object. Some, such as "Ingwa-banashi," are pure chilling horror that make you cringe. Other true ghost stories in this collection are "Story of a Tengu," "Ululation," "Fragment" and "A Passional Karma."

One of my favorites, a short story called "At Yaidzu," tells of the author swimming out amongst the Obon lanterns, which are put to see to guide home the spirits of the dead, and the feeling he gets being in the Ocean amongst the returning dead. Truly creepy.

All in all, "In Ghostly Japan" is a bit more scholarly than ghastly. The writing style is like many books from the 1880's, a bit dry and non-thrilling. It is a good resource for learning about the Ghostly traditions of Japan, but those seeking a collection of Japanese ghost stories will be disappointed.

Highly Respected in Japan
Lafcadio Hearn was one of the most respected English writers on Japanese History and Culture. He is highly respected in Japan to this day. This book is a treasure, and the Incense Chapter contains information on incense you can't find anywhere else.

In some cases the Japanese (romaji) is difficult to reference because the style is not the same as the modern spelling. Also, some references are hard to track under the titles given, but it is a great book just the same.

A study of Japanese ghostly traditions
"In Ghostly Japan" is a collection of old ghost stories, traditions dealing with ghosts, and personal ruminations on the afterlife by the turn-of-the-century Japanese scholar Lufcadio Hearn.

Much of the collection is short essays on Japanese traditions such as "Incense," and how incense relates to ghosts in terms of the Shinto and Buddhist religion. There is a true story of an accurate fortune teller know to the author, in "A Story of Divination." "Bits of Poetry" and "Japanese Buddhist Proverbs" translates and teaches several bits of Japanese lore as they relate to the world of the dead.

Some essays, such as "Silkworms," are pure conjecture, relating the human ideals of paradise to the daily lives of silkworms."Suggestion" is a conversation between the author and a monk on the nature of gender and re-birth in the Buddhist tradition.

Of true ghost stories, there are few.Many of the ghost stories, such as "Furisode," begin with a short lesson about something Japanese, in this case a long-sleeved Kimono known as a Furisode, and then relates a ghost story dealing with the object.Some, such as "Ingwa-banashi," are pure chilling horror that make you cringe.Other true ghost stories in this collection are "Story of a Tengu," "Ululation," "Fragment" and "A Passional Karma."

One of my favorites, a short story called "At Yaidzu," tells of the author swimming out amongst the Obon lanterns, which are put to see to guide home the spirits of the dead, and the feeling he gets being in the Ocean amongst the returning dead.Truly creepy.

All in all, "In Ghostly Japan" is a bit more scholarly than ghastly. The writing style is like many books from the 1880's, a bit dry and non-thrilling. It is a good resource for learning about the Ghostly traditions of Japan, but those seeking a collection of Japanese ghost stories will be disappointed. ... Read more

Book Description
Here are two hundred and twenty dazzling tales from medieval Japan, tales that welcome us into a fabulous, faraway world populated by saints and scoundrels, ghosts and magical healers, and a vast assortment of deities and demons. Stories of miracles, visions of hell, jokes, fables, and legends, these tales reflect the Japanese worldview during a classic period in Japanese civilization. Masterfully edited and translated by the acclaimed translator of The Tale of Genji, these stories ably balance the lyrical and the dramatic, the ribald and the profound, offering a window into a long-vanished though perennially fascinating culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Wonderful stories, excellent translation
"Japanese Tales" boasts an incredibly rich assortment of old Japanese stories, most either from or about the Heian period, an early classical golden age of Japanese culture and literature.The stories themselves evoke a great number of moods, and cover topics that run the gamut from vulgar (even the Japanese aristocrats of a thousand years ago enjoyed fart jokes) to austere.Most interesting is the incredible juxtaposition and intertwining of the spirit world with the "real" world.Asking the people of this classical age whether they believed in demons, fox spirits, bodhisattva, and the like would be about as ridiculous as asking people of the modern age whether they believed in puppies and bunnies.It's not a question of belief--these creatures and deities simply "exist".

The translations are excellent, and it is an incredible credit to Royall Tyler that these stories--set in a time a millennium removed and half a world away from the reader--are so accessible and easy to read.Tyler effectively groups the stories by topic, giving the reader a bit of structure to the wonderfully diverse range of tales.The introduction is packed full of information, but perhaps my only (small) complaint is that with the large number of place names mentioned it would have been nice if a map had been included.Overall though, this collection of tales is an excellent addition to the canon of English translations of ancient Japanese literature and provides great insight to the mind and world of Heian Japan."Japanese Tales" should be a must-read for all people interested in the folklore and literature of Japan.

Such An Enchanting Book!
By using his extensive knowledge in the Japanese literature, Royall Tyler collected and translated Japanese stories into English and into one volume entitled "Japanese Tales." This book drives the readers to experience the enchanting Japanese folklore and ancient short stories of spirits, demons, monsters, gods, monks, heroes, snakes, robbers, foxes, love, and families. There are 220 tales in this book, which are grouped into sets of four to six tales with each having its own theme or heading.In addition to the sets of the book, there is an introduction which describes the history of Japanese lore and mythology; and the culture of Japan including the capital, provinces, the emperor, ministers, houses, the manners of the Japanese people, and the religion during the period of 9th to 13th centuries. Throughout the selected sets of "Japanese Tales," one can understand the Japanese culture from 9th to 13th centuries by looking at the influences of Buddha and Lotus Sutra, the interferences of gods and goddesses, and the stories of snakes and foxes.

"Japanese Tales" explores the influences of Buddha and Lotus Sutra in the medieval Japanese culture as seen in the sets of 'Monk Jokes,' 'Beyond the Rules,' and 'Parent and Child.' Since the religion of Buddhism officially came to Japan in the mid-sixth century, large temples were built and respected monks were scattered across Japan in which people viewed them as saints, frivolous, worldly, and rich (p. xxxvi - xxxvii).However, the tales in the set of 'Monk Jokes' demonstrated as a way of insult to the Buddhist monks because of their sexual behavior, and this set has a twist and humorous end. But the religion of Buddha also had great positive influences on the Japanese people as their view of life and death. The best example of this is a tale of 'The Stinking Hut' in a set of 'Beyond the Rules.'

The important part of the Buddha religion is its scriptures called the sutras, and Lotus Sutra was the only important sutra in Japan which was a "basic of great many monks" and its powerful spiritual merit was copying the text (p. xxxvii, xliv - xlv). The mention of Lotus Sutra appeared throughout the selected sets as a chant or a benefit for someone in need.A good example of the Lotus Sutra can be seen in a tale of 'Hell in Broad Day' in a set of 'Parent and Child.' The religion of Buddha and the Lotus Sutra made strong impacts upon the rich culture of Japan, as evidenced in the living folklore and tales.

The interferences of gods and goddesses in the tales appeared to be of a great importance for the Japanese people because of hope, prayers being answered, and their roles in the vast universe. The religion of Buddhism has many gods and goddesses which appear or are mentioned in the Japanese Tales as part of the Japanese culture. In a sense, the tales would teach the new Japanese generations about the roles of the gods and goddesses and the lessons from their seen or unseen actions. Like a shocking story of 'Buckets of Marital Bliss,' tales that involved gods or goddesses would seem to have important lessons for the readers or listeners during the period of 9th to 13th centuries. The lessons that were demonstrated to the mortal people in the stories would have included the morals, relationships, virtues, and characters. The interferences of gods and goddesses in the "Japanese Tales" played an important role in a traditional society which formed a moral root of the Japanese culture.

The stories of the "Japanese Tales" consisted of many symbols and hidden meanings as related to the conditions of human beings.There are two major creatures of human conditions that appeared in many of the tales, and these were the snakes and the foxes. The snakes in the tales can "embody sinful" conditions including lust, forbidden desires, and evil while the foxes were tricksters for their own sexual desire, love, family, and they were also messengers of gods (p. xlvix - li.). Like in other foreign stories such as the Genesis story in the Bible, the snakes in the "Japanese Tales" represented evil and the actions of the dark side of all human beings, such as lust and forbidden desires. Foxes, on the other hand, do not represent evil, but they represent something between good and evil. Since they were not viewed as good creatures, the foxes can be tricky in such a way that they can be manipulative in love and family. The fox would change its appearance into a woman to get attention from a man, to feel appreciated and loved. Sometimes, a fox can be a messenger of a god appearing in dreams. These 'messenger' foxes would sometime play a divinity role for Japanese people as they would become important creatures of Japan, while the "manipulative" foxes can be the most annoying yet tricky creatures. While they appeared often in the tales, the snakes and the foxes were important figures for the readers or the listeners as they are the representations of major human conditions in Japan.

In Tyler's "Japanese Tales," one can understand the Japanese culture from 9th to 13th centuries by looking at the influences of Buddha and Lotus Sutra, the interferences of gods and goddesses, and the stories of snakes and foxes from the selected sets. The rich culture of Japan was formed by the impact of the religion of Buddha and the Lotus Sutra which affected Japanese folklore and tales.

A well-written book of tales with an accessible source of traditional Japanese society, Royall Tyler's "Japanese Tales" gave a fascinating picture of the Japanese culture and its people during the period of 9th to 13th centuries. For those who love folklores and legends, this book ismost recommended.

Japanese Tales (Pantheon Fairy Tale & Folklore Library)
I have yet to encounter one of the Pantheon folklore series that was not a good read.This is no exception.My regret is that they have not published more and that some of their folklore books seem out of print.I enjoyed this book and I am happy to recommend it.I have one other book on the subject (purchased over ten years ago) and this one complements the first.

A collection of 220 folk tales from old Japan
"Japanese Tales" is probably the best collection of Japanese folk tales available. Every conceivable piece of folk lore is packed in this book, categorized and deftly translated into English.A host of monsters, ghosts, demons and heroes are packed in tightly, their stories waiting to be discovered.

Of course, with 220 stories in one volume, some of the stories are very short indeed, lasting a half-page at best.Many are just the right size for a child's bedtime story. Some of the stories are longer, but I don't think any of them run over 2 or 3 pages.Some stories have a moral, or tell a cautionary tale, while many are merely there to entertain, frighten or amuse.

As interesting as the book itself is the author's introduction, a 35 page quick course on Japanese folklore and mythology.In it, he outlines some fundamental themes as well as showing the logic behind his categorizing of the stories.

An excellent book, belong on the shelf of anyone with an interest in Japanese folklore.

Pretty Killer
I rate this book to be Pretty Killer.It is extremely well, written, with translator Royall Tyler keeping up his usual excellence.if you are new to Japanese literature, i reccomend The Tale of Genji (Tyler), The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, and As I Crossed A Bridge of Dreams- Sarashina Nikki (Morris).Even if you hold little interest in Japan or the literature of such, this book is engaging, amusing, thoughtful, and supplies you with stories you can retell.Read the darn thing. ... Read more

Book Description
1903. Twenty-two Japanese legends and fairy tales about peasants and kings, good and bad forces, princesses, animals, the sea, and the sky written for children of the West. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Brilliant
The Japanese short-stories in this book were absolutely brilliant.

Each story has a moral to be learned. In each story, the decieving are punished in different ways. It also gives a magical perspective of everyday morals to the reader.

A charming collection of stories
A wonderful collection of short stories, easy to read. They have been translated with Westerners in mind, but still remain uniquely Japanese. There are beautiful black and white illustrations with each story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A sociological study of Japanese ghosts and modern society
"Ghosts snd the Japanese: Cultural Experience in Japanese Death Legends" is a scholarly text that seeks to do more than catalog a few fine Japanese ghost legends, but also to undertake a serious study of those legends in the context of Japanese culture.

The book basically consits of three articles. "An Introduction to the Left Stairway" examines folk-lore studies as a general concept, introducing several views on the subject and winds up being the kind of introductory summary one might recieve on any general "Intro to Folk-lore studies" course."Death Customs in Contemporary Japan" takes a look at funerary rites and customs as practiced in Japan today, and the obligations of the living to the dead."Japanese Death Legends and Vernacular Culture" is the meat of the book, catagorizing several Japanese ghost legends into five areas; "Mother and Child," "Revenge and Anger" "Omens," "Ghosts at Sea" and "Passions."Each ghost story is very briefly sumarized, usually in no more than one or two paragraphs, so one can get the idea why it was placed in that particular catagory.

The failing of the book lies in its briefness.It is a very small text, being only 124 pages in length, and almost every concept is summarized and skimmed over as briefly as the stories themselves.The fundamental concept of the book, that ghost legends such as these remain a necessary aspect of modern culture, is an interesting concept but is poorly established.While there is mention of various Japanese texts that examine these legends from a Japanese perspective, there is little summation or translation so the ideas presented, and usually not more than an author's name and a title are given.The book shows some contempt for Joseph Campbell's theories on Japanese culture, but does not go inot a serious debate against his ideas, more of a general dismissal.

Even in the face of these failings on a whole, "Ghosts and the Japanese" is a good book, rich with unique ghost stories as well as wonderful reproductions of the Zenshoan Temple's massive collection of ghost portraits.For these ghost portraits alone I think the book is worth the price.There are few English language books on this subject and this one provides some insight, ideas and a launching-off point for individual discovery.

Best Book on Japanese Ghosts
There are obviously far better books on the subject available in Japanese,but this is the best English-language text I've ever found on the subjectof Japanese ghosts.

However, readers should be forewarned that thefirst half of the book reads like an "Introduction".Lay readerswho are just looking for stories and aren't interested in the authors'theories and sociological opinions would be better off to start readingfrom page 43 (or even page 60 for some readers).In fact, I'd go so far asto recommend that most readers start at page 43 (or 60) and read theearlier parts of the book later.

A richly illustrated treasure of well-researched information
Not only is this a very readable text, but the hauntingly beautiful illustrations pulled from a variety of sources add a very special touch.One learns so much of Japanese culture in reading this work. ... Read more

Book Description
As in many countries, storytelling is a revered art in Japan, and traditional tales have been carefully preserved for centuries. Yet only a small portion of Japan's tales has been shared with English-speaking audiences. From one of Japan's most popular and respected storytellers, this collection introduces readers to more than 40 wondrous tales from rural Japan--stories that have not previously been seen or heard--from animal tales and tales of supernatural beings to stories about village characters and priests and their apprentices. These are tales from the Japanese countryside, representative of the country's rich folklore, and preserved and retold by a "ohanashi obaasan" (storytelling granny). You'll find such stories as "Sky Watcher," "Mouse Teeth," "Owl's Paintshop," "Radish Bath," and "Snow Woman's Baby." Tales are organized into broad thematic categories-animal tales, stories of village people, priests and their apprentices, strange happenings, yamanbas, and supernatural tales. It's a fascinating assortment that will delight young listeners, intrigue older readers, and offer scholars new insights. Background on the country and Japanese culture, notes on the tales, a glossary, recipes, games and crafts, and color photos and illustrations enhance the collection. All levels. ... Read more

Book Description
This is a collection of 22 charming Japanese fairy tales, originally published in 1905, selected and translated by Yei Theodora Ozaki. Included are legends and fairy tales about peasants and kings, god and bad forces, princesses, animals, the sea, and the sky.Download Description
This collection of Japanese fairy tales is the outcome of a suggestion made to me indirectly through a friend by Mr. Andrew Lang. They have been translated from the modern version written by Sadanami Sanjin. These stories are not literal translations, and though the Japanese story and all quaint Japanese expressions have been faithfully preserved, they have been told more with the view to interest young readers of the West than the technical student of folk - lore. Grateful acknowledgment is due to Mr. Y. Yasuoka, Miss Fusa Okamoto, my brother Nobumori Ozaki, Dr. Yoshihiro Takaki, and Miss Kameko Yamao, who have helped me with translations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Child's Treasury of Japanese Fairy Tales
Originally published in 1903,Yei Theodora Ozaki's translation of Sadanami Sanjin's collection of Japanese fairy tales has been the introduction of many a young child into the legends and fables of old Japan across the years.Definitely not a scholarly reference or valuable research tool for folktale researchers, Ozaki unabashedly re-crafted some of the stories, translating loosely and adding in elements of unrelated tales, in order to make them more enjoyable and understandable for Western children.She even gave Urashimataro a happy ending!

There is something delightfully romantic about translations from this era, due to the unfamiliarity with Japanese culture at the time.Terms that would not be translated today, like "oni" and "samurai", are rendered as "ogre" and "knight" and other English equivalents.While unauthentic, this makes the stories more approachable by young children who have a mind for fantasy but haven't yet graduated to Japanese Studies.

While far from a picture book, artist Kakuzo Fujiyama contributed 66 beautiful drawings to illustrate the 22 tales. Unfortunately, all the illustrations are reproduced in black-and-white, instead of the original color plates included in the original pressings.

Many of the stories here are familiar with anyone even slightly interested in Japanese folklore."Momotaro, or the Story of the Son of a Peach, "The Story of Urashima Taro, the Fisher Lad", "Kintaro the Golden Boy" and "The Ogre of Rashomon".Along with these, there are rarer tales that I haven't seen in any other Japanese fairy tale collection."The Stones of Five Colors and the Empress Jokwa", "The Sagacious Monkey and the Boar" and "How and Old Man Lost his Wren" were all new to me. ... Read more

Book Description
For nearly three decades Japanese Culture has garnered high praise as an accurate and well-written introduction to Japanese history and culture. This widely used undergraduate text is now available in a new edition. Thoroughly updated, the fourth edition includes expanded sections on numerous topics, among which are samurai values, Zen Buddhism, the tea ceremony, Confucianism in the Tokugawa period, the story of the forty-seven ronin, Mito scholarship in the early nineteenth century, and mass culture and comics in contemporary times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

I think Japanese should cherish the culture as Japanese too.
I have lived in Tokyo, Japan since I was born here. Though I can say about the case in Tokyo only, even I can not look at the Japanese historical things in my ordinaly Tokyo life. Tokyo is same as another big town over the world, developed town with high stores building, the imported fashion from mainly U.S.A etc. Certainly, the modern life in Tokyo may be comfortable, but I think that the life is not truth things, that is, that may be physical comfot, not mental.

If I say honestly, in fact, I am very tired in Tokyo life since my birth, especially mental part: the overpopulated city, dirt air from the rannning cars, people followed with benefit.

In such condition, I think that Japanese should get back the vanished Japanese history again. Japanese long history and cultures is not just culture, I think, they have been made on the reasonable means, for instance Japanese Buddhism would be born on the tender mind that take care of other person. But in modern Japanese city, there are little people that beleive in reliegions.

Thank you for reading poor writing.

10,000 Years In 300 Pages
The tracings of Japanese culture go back some 10,000 years - speaking conservatively.Since then there has been a remarkable continuity of inhabitation on the Japanese islands, which has resulted in one of the richest and complex cultures in the world today.Originally heavily influenced by the neighboring Chinese culture in the period from 300 BC to 300 AD, the islands quickly found their own way and over the ensuing years have developed a breadth of integrated experience that is often baffling to the outsider or curious student.

Paul Varley's book, in it's fourth edition and showing no signs of losing its value, is an attempt to present the significant cultural and historical developments, covering the past two millennia.OF course, most of the focus is from the eighth century on as Japanese civilization shifted from day to day survival to a complex political framework with a great flourishing of substantive creative art.

Considering that my standard historical reference on Japan has some seven volumes and thousands of (often tedious) pages, Varley's task is considerable and his success worthy of note.In a mere three hundred pages of tiny print Varley manages to draw a picture of the Japanese people that, while far from complete, misses none of the key culture moments.

He does this in a plain, business-like writing style that pours out unending amounts of information with merciless patience.He is very readable, but not what I would call enjoyable, since the sheer quantity of information can be overwhelming.If simply read straight through, it is easy to lose track of the thread of ideas.But the book rewards repeated study and the reader will soon find that all this information contributes much towards an understanding of the Japanese experience.

Typical history
This book is good.I'm not going to call it great, nor will I say that it isn't a worthwhile read; however, it gets wordy at points.It could be improved with an overview of each chapter and then have the in-depth information to follow.Regardless, there is a wealth of information within!I personally love the history parts because I fell asleep when I took east asian history, and this is a good way of refreshing my memory to prepare for my college major of East Asian Studies come 2005 ;).

Amazing detail in such a small amount of space
I wasn't sure what to expect when i bought this book - after all the title does seem a little generic and it is a pretty small book, but i was pleasantly surprised. Varley's style is incredibly terse yet still very accessible. He deals with Japanese culture chronologically, giving the reader a clear picture of the state of the country at the time any major cultural events took place, although avoiding any unecessarily long forays into the history of Japan which do not relate to cultural happenings. Overall, an extremely diverse and useful introduction to Japanese culture which could provide a thorough grounding in the subject prior to further study, or equally serve as a useful reference book to anyone with a casual interest in the culture of Japan

Great introduction to Japanese history and culture
This book is fantastic for a thorough introduction to Japanese culture.It was a pleasure to read. This was the textbook used for my Japanese Life and Culture university class, and I was extremely pleased with it.Varley's writing style is straightforward and extremely interesting.What I especially liked about the book was its mixture of history and all aspects of Japanese culture, from the literature to the art to the religions.I can't recommend this book highly enough for anyone interested in learning about Japanese culture. ... Read more

Book Description
These tales and legends have been collected from many sources. Some of them have been selected from the Record of Ancient Matters, which contains the mythology of Japan. Many are told from memory, being relics of childish days, originally heard from the lips of a school fellow or nurse. Certain of them form favorite subjects for representation on the Japanese stage. Illustrated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

No color illustrations
Don't buy this book, Om the front page they say there are color illustrations, but there are only very badly copied black and white illustrations in this book. ... Read more