Product Description
Japanese gods, too numerous to count, are known collectively as yaoyorozu-no-kamigami--the eight million. They are the cast of a vast, complex mythology that encompasses two religions, three cultures, and three millennia, one whose ancient deities are still hard at work today.
Handbook of Japanese Mythology makes it easy to travel this vast yet little-known mythological landscape. The book reveals the origins of Japan's myths in the very different realms of Buddhism, Shinto, and folklore, and explores related mythologies of the Ainu and Okinawan cultures and recent myths arising from Japan's encounters with modernization. It then offers vivid retellings of the central Shinto and Buddhist myths, plus descriptions of major historical figures, icons, rituals, and events.
For students or long-time enthusiasts, it is the ideal guide for investigating Japanese reverence for the sun, the imperial family, and the virtues of purity and loyalty. Readers will also learn why sumo wrestlers stomp before each match, how a fussy baby creates thunder, why Japan has a god for soccer, and much more. ... Read more

Product 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 (16)

A "Japanese 1001 Nights"
This book is a wonderful treasury of short tales from the Heian and Kamakura periods (Circa 1100-1300 CE) that will be of interest to anyone with an interest in Japanese literature.The stories that Royall Tyler has selected for this collection are often weird and gross but wonderful in their own way and often very funny as well.I have a difficult time imagining anyone turning to page 14 of this book and reading "The Tapeworm's Sad End" and not wanting to read the rest.This is a volume worthy of a place on the bookshelf next to that better-known collection of tales from the east, The 1001 Nights.

Fun, Educational Read!
This is the best book on Japanese Folklore I've found!

It has a great intro with lots of info about the culture behind the tales. The translation is excellent and flows naturally like storytelling should! It includes hundreds of tales and they're just the right length.Fun to read, but short enough to get through quickly. All of the tales included are from Medieval times so it doesn't reference Kappa at all (they're newer additions to Japanese lore).A great book for fun, and for better understanding Japanese tradition and culture!

Superb Storytelling
I have read many books on Japanese folklore and mythology, and of all of them Royall Tyler's is my favorite.

Apart from having assembled (as other reviewers have noted) many stories that are very hard to find in English, what Tyler achieves here is to tell these tales with the kind of elegantly simple language that evokes not only excellent oral storytelling, but a seemingly genuine sense of the culture from which these stories arise.(I say this as someone who lived in Japan for the better part of five years; enough time to give one a sense of the culture, though certainly not expertise.)

Whether or not Japan is a subject of interest to you, you are bound to enjoy Tyler's deft storytelling, and the brevity of most of the stories makes this an excellent book to read when you only have a few free minutes here and there.Wonderful stuff.

Amazing Stories and O.K. translation
I was very satisfied with the book itself, and the stories were wonderful!They are filled with Buddhist and Shinto themes and show a lot of where today's Japan gets its supernatural stories and ideas from.

My only issue with this book and Tyler's translation would be his usage of the words "genie" and "badger".

The badger is, in fact, a tanuki, which is not a badger at all! The tanuki is a member of the dog family and has a mask like that of a racoon, is small and fuzzy, and in general not a badger at all.

Tyler also uses the translation shikigami as "Genie" for something that is better translated as a djinn or something along those lines.Yin-Yang diviners often have Shikigami who are bound in service to them, however, they are nothing like the genie that comes out of a lamp and grants three wishes.Because this is the usual association with Genie's reading the text leads to a lot of confusion.I read this book for a college class in which everyone was confused because of that translation with exception of one girl, who explained what the "genie" really were.

All in all though, Tyler has a marvelous translation of these stories and words them well, passing them down well enough for even old Japanese men to be proud.

Charming as ever
I bought this after reading Tyler's "Tale of Genji". It's a wonderful & winning mix of short and long, solemn and thoroughly inconsequential tales. Surely stories of this kind had a considerable influence on Natsume Soseki's early twentieth century "Ten Nights of Dream"? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not what I wanted at all... but still good.
I was hoping for more pictures of the creatures. That's why I bought it. I was looking for a book about the Obakemono, but they aren't all covered here. I was looking for a book covering the Tsukumo-gami, as well. They aren't even mentioned. Still- it was a good book over all, just not what I was looking for. Needed color pictures.

Good for academic reference - too big to travel.
Great reference book. I wanted to take soemthing with me on a trip to Japan tho - this is far too bulky and too much detail. ... Read more

Product Description
The notion of Japanese mythology was invented in the modern era under the influence of Westernization. Before the modern era, only the notion history existed in Japan. Mythological events were considered historical moments rather than mythology. In this volume, Professor Isomae argues that Japanese mythology finds its uniqueness in the persistence of the interpretation of two specific scriptures: Kojik (Tale of Old Age, written in 712 A.D.) and Nihonshoki (Chronicle of Japanese History, written in 720 A.D.).Under the political banner of Japan, both the Imperial Court and the general public have searched for the origin of their identity in Kojiki and Nihonshoki. In this sense, Japanese mythology, whether it was considered mythology or history, has functioned as scripture. Through the act of commentary and interpretation, the sacred books serve to connect interpreters to their historical origins, authenticating where they came from, the emergence of the Japanese archipelago, and the uniqueness of the Japanese people.This book explores the history of the interpretation of Japanese mythology, the Japanese attraction to this act of historical grounding, and the varying identities that emerged during different historical periods. National and personal identity has always depended on the hermeneutic of scripture, namely Kojiki and Nihonshoki. Consequently, this work makes it evident that there exists no clear and unified substance of Japanese mythology, but rather a nostalgic desire to go back to historical origins and authenticate identity through the interpretation of scripture. ... Read more

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Discusses the mythology of Japan, its origins in Shintoism and Buddhism, and the gods, spirits, men, and animals that appear in the many legends and stories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Japanese Mythology and Archaeology
I am Japanese archaeologist living in London. I want to publish my book about relationship between Japanese mythology and archaeology. It means how to get a proof certain japanese mythology(mostly shinto related) through hard evidence of archaeological excavation in Japan. If someone help me in terms of publishing in US about this subject, for example I need a critics about my article and give me a guide line for publishing any form in US, please get in touch with me.My name is Kazuo and my e-mail is " SarEngland7@aol.com " ... Read more

Product Description
The Black Forest is not the only place where fairies beguile and animals take human shape-the shadows of Mount Fuji boast their own impressive catalogue of accounts of the weird and the wonderful. From cautionary tales to ghostly visions, the fairy stories of Japan are characterized not only by the customary amount of fantasy but also by a welcome dose of mischievous fun. For any lover of other-worlds, dreamscapes, and magical beings, this collection of Japanese folk and fairy tales provides quick transportation to a land of miniature warriors, willow-women, and ogre-isles, beautifully accented by the unmistakable exoticism of the Land of the Rising Sun. Bohemian and writer PATRICK LAFCADIO HEARN (1850-1904) was born in Greece, raised in Ireland, and worked as newspaper reporter in the United States before decamping to Japan. He also wrote In Ghostly Japan (1899), and Kwaidan (1904). ... Read more

Product Description
The Japanese have faithfully preserved their ancient myths as a connected and well ordered system. And as a system, Japanese myths say much about the human condition in the cosmos and about the human place in the cosmic order. Not until now has a book-length, English-language study been released on Japanese mythology. Drawing on his meticulous research, Asianist Peter Metevelis presents this selection of analytic essays that form a mosaic of themes on the primordial world of Japanese myth, adding a rewarding voice to cultural history and the history of ideas around the world. Metevelis shows that, contrary to popular belief, Japanese myths have much in common with other myths around the globe, and are mythically, logically, and symbolically equivalent. This suggests that Japanese culture has always resonated with the rest of the world and provides a valuable touchstone for comparative mythologists. The mythic themes Metevelis explores include:Linkage of birth with deathLoss of immortalityContainment of soulsEffect of time on mortalsCreation of the cosmosAnd many moreThis incomparable volume also includes detailed notes, bibliographies, and appendices to help further your knowledge of Japanese myth. Under Metevelis's expert guidance, you can expand your understanding of the Japanese myth system, its structure, and its principal actors, and immerse yourself in the ancient Japanese mysteries of the cosmos. ... Read more

Product Description
Japan is a country rich in myths, legends and folk tales, inspired by history, ghost stories and religion. Some of these are recounted in this book, such as that of Ameratasu, the sun goddess, who plunged the world into darkness in anger at the behaviour of Susano, the storm god. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
This graphic novel tells the story of Amaterasu, the Japanese Shinto goddess of the sun. Amaterasu's parents create the first eight islands of Japan. Amaterasu's father later puts his children in charge of parts of the natural world. Beautiful and kindly Amaterasu is made the goddess of the sun. But her brother, Susano, god of the sea and storms, is jealous of his sister's position. In fear of Susano's temper, Amaterasu hides in a cave, plunging the world into darkness. The other gods and goddesses must come up with a clever plan to lure Amaterasu from her hiding place and restore order to the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great graphic story
Amaterasu is just one of the many great graphic stories in the Graphic legends collection. I selected it because I wanted to examine its pedagogical worth and if I ever used it, it would provide a gender balance with the other male-oriented tales. Essentially, the story explains the disappearance of the sun with the rivalry between Amaterasu and her brother Susano. Actually, it is Susano's jealousy that starts the conflict. To make the long story short, Amaterasu hides in a cave to escape the fury of Susano, and then the other gods and goddesses have to figure out how to lure Amaterasu out of the cave. The telling of the story and the graphics make an excellent graphic story that has all the qualities mentioned by James Bucky Carter in Building Literacy Connections with Graphic Novels and in other articles he has written. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent work on earliest royal history
Joan Piggots' scholarship is excellent. Pulling from a wide array of sources, covering everything from shipping tags attached to merchandise delivered in payment of tribute to the quasi-legendary early chronicles, to written works of law, literature, and religion, archaelogical artefacts and tomb burials, as well as previous works of historical scholarship, she presents an exhaustive and authoritative analysis of a frequently overlooked period in Japanese history, the 3rd through 8th centuries.

Piggott's work focuses on the emergence of the nascent Japanese nation-state, from its indigenous roots with a tennou ('sovereign' ) who was a chief among clans to its period of heavy Chinese borrowing and transformation into a 'modern' (for the era) nation headed up by a Chinese-style Emperor. Adopting a metaphor of archaeological trenches, she describes and analyzes seven major periods of development, discusses the various problems associated with research in that particular period, the known information, and conflicting points of view, while cogently and persuasively arguing her own viewpoint.

Her historical scholarship is impeccable and her writing style is clear and readable -- a great boon to anyone who has wrestled with some of the more obscure writings on the same topic. In short, she makes a significant addition to body of knowledge in the English language regarding a little known era of Japanese history.

Excellent
It is rare to find a work that is both good history and well written; Piggot's examination of the emergence of kingship in a country where 'the gods have not yet died' is an important expansion of our understanding of archaic Japan in particular and sacral kingship in general. ... Read more

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AN Authoratative a-z guide to the mythologies and legends of China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia ... Read more