Tales from Japan

by Helen McAlpine (Adapter), Rosamund Fowler (Illustrator)

Full of magic and wonder, these are tales of wicked giants and fairy children, beautiful princesses and fearless warriors. This extraordinary collection of stories from Japan are lively retellings of legends and fairy tales that include the great story of the creation of the world and the tale of a magical coat that makes people invisible. Meet the Sea Spirit, the Moon God, the Emperor Kiyomori, Dragon Princess and many other magical characters. Here, too, are folktales of woodcutters and fisherman who enter strange, enchanted worlds. This delightful mix of stories joyfully evokes the beauty and culture of its people, its animals, and its landscape. (Reissue of Japanese Tales and Legends , 0-19-274140-3)

Genres: Mythology, Folklore, Japan, Japanese Literature, Fiction, Fantasy, Asia

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2002

Reviews

[Danielle McCormick · Rating 2 out of 5]

the first part of the book is very well done and a great introduction to Japanese mythos but the rest of the book feels randomly thrown together with stories from many different ages all mashed together.

[Julie Moronuki · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are interesting stories but the translation is obnoxious. There is no need in English to use the word "august" so much.

[Kirsteen Gordon · Rating 1 out of 5]

The tales weren`t all that interesting and as a small collection lacked any connection between them, disappointed.

[Tieno · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF... There’s nothing wrong with the translations or the writing. I just wasn’t as interested in the folklore or legend as I thought I would be 😔

[Shambhobi Ghosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a very enjoyable book on Japanese creation myths and folk tales. The editors have also included some stories from the famous twelfth century epic "Tales of the Heike". The tales of Izanami and Izanagi and Urashima the fisherman are particularly memorable ones, as they explore themes of loss, death and love through their simple but impressionable narratives. I would have appreciated the book more if the language was a little less flowery (especially in the folktales) and maintained the simple, unadorned diction which is usually what makes fairy tales unique. Nevertheless, it was a very good read, and the book has definitely inspired me to read more Japanese myths, legends and folktales!

[Babs]

FALSE

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tales from Japan contains nine foundational stories and fairy tales from ancient Japan. The stories are interesting and told so children can understand them. I recommend reading it to anyone, especially children, studying or interested in Japan.