The Japanese Myths: A Guide to Gods, Heroes and Spirits

Product Information

Japanese mythology, although complex and a bit complicated to understand for the Western world, is not very different from other mythologies. As in others, its myths tell stories related to creation, destruction, death, rebirth, love and revenge. It is also full of descriptions of nature, creatures, animals, the dead and ghosts. Kaiju and Mechas are mentioned as post-modern (in the historical sense) developments of living Japanese mythology, which I found really interesting The name of this book is ancient, although the collection of artistic renditions and stories was compiled recently. History tells us that a magical beast once gifted “The Book of Hakutaku” to an emperor, and this book contained visual and textual information about all of the entities of the spirit world—good and evil. It starts as you meet the blind musician who is about to go perform for the dead, but it’s not only his story that you get to read in this exciting book by Lafcadio Hearn, there are a few other stories that talk about faceless creatures, haunting scenes, thrilling Japanese mythology characters and protagonists, and much more. Original Folklore Ragnarokuses the framing device of the Thin Girl, a young English child who has escaped to the countryside to avoid the falling bombs of World War II, to tell the story of Ragnarok: the end of the Norse gods.

The unique images of each of the 70 Yokai are a great added bonus as they paint perfect pictures of how these creatures were thought to look like, something worth reading as you are going to find many surprises within this brilliant Japanese legends book. Japanese Myths is a visually pleasing guide with over 150 graphics, illustrations and photographs. Author Melanie Clegg is a freelance translator and holds a BA (Hons) in Japanese Studies from the University of Oxford. The book opens with key creation myths and with explanations of how these have been used to legitimise the ruling elite. These sections are drawn from The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, the oldest chronicles that provide accounts of Japan's history and mythology, including significant events and the genealogies of early rulers. Inside, you will read about some amazing characters and their adventures, there are deceiving fox spirits, ghosts, magical healers, all sorts of miracles that are hard to believe, a lot of humor is also present in the stories inside. Although this book covers a number of subjects that might already be familiar to those with a strong interest in Japan, it expands on these to highlight their enduring significance. Some profiles of legendary individuals touch on sensitive issues, which are a "a powerful reminder of how myth and legend can be manipulated by those who seek to use them to disseminate particular ideologies, and of how deep-rooted and insidious such beliefs can become." Significantly, this book is also distinguished from other English language publications by dedicating a fair amount of space for Ainu and Ryukyuan history and myths. These are not separated into their own section, but rather woven into the book which is mainly divided by theme.Moreover, the book artistically captures the mythological creation of heaven, earth, and the island of Japan by siblings Izanami and Izanagi. There are narratives about the birth of several other Japanese deities and gods. Thanks to modern books and TV shows I have been interested in eastern mythology for a while and have been looking for books of those myths. Unfortunately this was not really what I was looking for. While this is no fault of the book it does mean I didn't really enjoy it as much as I was hoping.

You’ll learn about historical figures, real and mythological, appreciate events influenced by Japanese mythology, and even see how aspects of mythology impact behavior and rituals. World mythology is a fascinating subject to explore, partially because each culture has its own unique mythological story. Wherever you look, you’ll find new myths and hidden meanings. We chose The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore as our best book because it does the best job of incorporating Japanese culture’s global influence into the narrative about ancient mythology. Vinland Saga is an incredible historical epic with unforgettable Viking characters, fuelled by anger, vengeance, and hubris. It’s also worth pointing out the obvious here: Vinland Saga is a manga, not a book. It’s also more a historical legend than a myth, but anyone who loves Norse mythology will love this manga immensely.This book would be a great reference tool for homeschooling parents or a companion to a textbook for high school students. Who may want a deeper understanding of mythology and its influence in the modern era. There are many add-in segments that can influence the reader to research further on their own. For example, there is a mini reference section on Japanese translation, listing many individuals who pioneered and further spread the reach of Japanese mythology. Laying the groundwork for the influence it has today in movies, shows, and books. I myself enjoyed hearing the different stories and pinpointing works that I have seen then in. For example, in the show Teen Wolf, one of the seasons features the Oni and Kitsune. I enjoyed learning the orgins of in Cleggs' work. Japan’s origin story dates from the eight century CE, written in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. From the first creation of heaven, earth and the Japanese archipelago from the tip of a spear by the gods Izanagi and Izanami, Shinto and Buddhist traditions make up the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. Overall, I think this was a great starting place for dabbling in Japanese mythology. The writing was clear and concise and used great examples and pictures. Allowing people who have never been to Japan to experience how entwined it is with their culture.

This book is more of an academic look at the gods, heroes and spirits of Japan. Rather than just telling the stories as I'd hoped, it goes much further into the history and their origins. It is fascinating but I also found it long winded and boring in places.It beautifully captures a wide array of things in one volume. It is a great collection of Japanese and Chinese legends, fascinating horror mysteries, and folklore. What is best is that it also has fascinating studies about insects. In the book, you come across interesting Shinto and Buddhist myths. And you get a vivid understanding of a great many historical figures, icons, rituals, and events in core Japanese mythology. If your child is a fan of Greek mythology but doesn’t want to read the stories by themselves, this series is a great alternative. From man-eating hobgoblins to strange insects imitating humans, Kwaidan amazingly captures haunting narratives from Japanese folklore. The book has a balanced mix of horror stories and tales about several superstitious fears. Some of the tales mentioned in the book specifically have Chinese origins. That is not it. If you’re expecting this to be an encyclopedia of Japanese myth, you’ll probably be disappointed, because it’s not. It IS a very good guide, going by topic and hitting all the important points. There are also little boxes with bullet points to make sure that you get all of the important ideas on different topics and figures being presented.

It’s just more comprehensive than most other non-academic books on the subject. The book uncovers the myths of various sects of Japanese culture, explores their roots, and offers context as to how they might be interpreted today. Japanese literature buffs and romanticists will enjoy the chapter on ‘Angelic Beings and Astral Romances’. Frydman tells the story of The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl which is associated with the Tanabata holiday celebrated in Japan on the 7 th of July. He also recounts The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. They both have moral implications which are still relevant today.

And there you have it! The 25 best mythology books! What are your favorite myths?

How do you make the old myths relevant to modern times? Let one of 20 th century Britain’s most unique authors show you how. So, if you’re looking to read more books on mythology because you’ve been loving the movies and games inspired by Greek and Norse myths, or if you want more books on Greek mythology for children, here’s what you’re looking for! You’ll also develop an appreciation for how these stories and myths impacted and helped create Japan as we know it today. If you get engrossed in this book, you’ll certainly finish it with a much deeper appreciation for Japanese culture in general. You might consider this book as the perfect way of introducing yourself to some of the magnificent and terrifying Japanese monsters called Yokai. They are anything from monsters, demons, phantoms to anything that bears a similar description. You get to meet about 70 of them in this one of the best modern mythology books from Japan by Nakau. Yurei, Oni, Kaijin and More