Andre sees things in his dreams and his heart yearns for more, but he doesn�t know it yet. Bent on gathering data for his doctoral thesis on Japanese folklore, Andre finds more than he ever hoped for. When an informant suggests that Abe no Seimei, an Onmyoji, or yin yang magician of the Heian Period, is still alive as myth claims, Andre is intrigued. Legend claims that Seimei was the son of a magical fox, and that he cannot die. Andre is not so gullible as to believe such nonsense, but he checks it out anyway. When he meets the man who calls himself Seimei, the very foundation of his belief system crumbles under his power. His world changed forever, Andre finds that he cannot be satisfied until he knows it all. He must know Seimei, and he gets what he wants, but the cost of it was not what he expected.

"Revised and expanded, this second edition of The Book of Yōkai features an all new yōkai picture gallery-with dozens of stunning color images-tracing the visual history of yōkai across centuries. With additional entries and fifty new illustrations, Michael Dylan Foster unpacks the history and cultural context of an even larger cast of yōkai, interpreting their varied meanings and introducing people who have pursued them through the ages. Monsters, spirits, fantastic beings, and supernatural creatures haunt the folklore and popular culture of Japan. Broadly labeled yōkai, they appear in many forms, from tengu mountain goblins and kappa water sprites, to shape-shifting kitsune foxes and long-tongued ceiling-lickers. Popular today in anime, manga, film, and video games, many yōkai originated in local legends, folktales, and regional ghost stories. The Book of Yōkai invites readers to examine how people create, transmit, and collect folklore, and how they make sense of the mysteries in the world around them"--

Thefield guide to some of the most horrific and fascinating creatures found in mythology and...

The deity Inari has been worshipped in Japan since at least the early eighth century and today is a revered presence in such varied venues as Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, factories, theaters, private households, restaurants, beauty shops, and rice fields. Although at first glance and to its many devotees Inari worship may seem to be a unified phenomenon, it is in fact exceedingly multiple, noncodified, and noncentralized. No single regulating institution, dogma, scripture, or myth centers the practice. In this exceptionally insightful study, the author explores the worship of Inari in the context of homogeneity and diversity in Japan. The shape-shifting fox and the wish-fulfilling jewel, the main symbols of Inari, serve as interpretive metaphors to describe the simultaneously shared yet infinitely diverse meanings that cluster around the deity. That such diversity exists without the apparent knowledge of Inari worshippers is explained by the use of several communicative strategies that minimize the exchange of substantive information. Shared generalized meanings (tatemae) are articulated while private meanings and complexities (honne) are left unspoken. The appearance of unity is reinforced by a set of symbols representing fertility, change, and growth in ways that can be interpreted and understood by many individuals of various ages and occupations. The Fox and the Jewel describes the rich complexity of Inari worship in contemporary Japan. It explores questions of institutional and popular power in religion, demonstrates the ways people make religious figures personally meaningful, and documents the kinds of communicative styles that preserve the appearance of homogeneity in the face of astonishing factionalism.

Discover the fascinating world of Japan's folklore, where myths and legends come to life! In "Japan's World of Ghosts and Demons: Myths and Legends in Japanese Folk Belief" we take you on a gripping journey through the mysterious stories and mystical creatures that have shaped Japanese culture for centuries. Immerse yourself in the world of Yokai, Kami and Oni and learn about the mysterious spirits that are still alive in Japanese folklore today. With captivating stories and exciting insights, this book reveals the traditions that influence and shape the lives of people in Japan. From the fear of the Yurei, to the Yuki Onna or the fox spirit Kitsune, to the playful Kappa - discover the diversity and complexity of Japanese belief in the supernatural. Whether you are a lover of Japanese culture, a fan of fantasy and horror, or simply curious about new worlds - this book offers you not only exciting stories, but also valuable perspectives on a centuries-old tradition. Let yourself be enchanted by the magic of Japan and find out how these myths are still alive today. Immerse yourself in "Japan's world of ghosts and demons" and let yourself be inspired by the power of legends! Hermann Candahashi

A wonderful pictorial account of the iconic Yorkshire Rider bus company.