What do you think?
Rate this book
Yurei: The Japanese Ghost
"I lived in a haunted apartment." Zack Davisson opens this definitive work on Japan's ghosts, or yurei , with a personal tale about the spirit world. Eerie red marks on the apartment's ceiling kept Zack and his wife on edge. The landlord warned them not to open a door in the apartment that led to nowhere. "Our Japanese visitors had no problem putting a name to it . . . they would sense the vibes of the place, look around a bit and inevitably say ' Ahhh . . . yurei ga deteru .' There is a yurei here."
Combining his lifelong interest in Japanese tradition and his personal experiences with these vengeful spirits, Davisson launches an investigation into the origin, popularization, and continued existence of yurei in Japan. Juxtaposing historical documents and legends against contemporary yurei -based horror films such as The Ring , Davisson explores the persistence of this paranormal phenomenon in modern day Japan and its continued spread throughout the West.
Combining his lifelong interest in Japanese tradition and his personal experiences with these vengeful spirits, Davisson launches an investigation into the origin, popularization, and continued existence of yurei in Japan. Juxtaposing historical documents and legends against contemporary yurei -based horror films such as The Ring , Davisson explores the persistence of this paranormal phenomenon in modern day Japan and its continued spread throughout the West.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published August 10, 2014
57 people are currently reading
982 people want to read
About the author
Zack Davisson
68 books99 followersZack Davisson is an award-winning translator, writer, and folklorist. He is the author of YUREI: THE JAPANESE GHOST, YOKAI STORIES, and KAIBYO: THE SUPERNATURAL CATS OF JAPAN, and the translator and curator of Shigeru Mizuki’s famous folklore comic KITARO, Matsumoto Leiji’s CAPTAIN HARLOCK, and Go Nagai’s DEVILMAN.
Davisson lectured on translation, manga, and folklore at Duke University, UCLA, University of Washington, Denison University, as well as contributed to exhibitions at the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam and Henry Art Museum. He has been featured on NPR, BBC, and The New York Times, and has written articles for Metropolis, The Comics Journal, and Weird Tales Magazine.
As a manga translator, Davisson was nominated for the 2014 Japanese-US Friendship Commission Translation Prize for his translation of the multiple Eisner Award-winning SHOWA: A HISTORY OF JAPAN. Other acclaimed translations include Satoshi Kon’s OPUS and THE ART OF SATOSHI KON, Mamoru Oshii’s SERAPHIM: 266613336 WINGS, Leiji Matsumoto’s QUEEN EMERALDAS, Kazuhiro Fujita’s THE GHOST AND THE LADY, Go Nagai’s CUTIE HONEY, and Gou Tanabe’s Eisner Award-nominated HP LOVECRAFT’S THE HOUND AND OTHER TALES.
He lives in Seattle, WA with his wife Miyuki, a dog, two cats, and several ghosts.
Davisson lectured on translation, manga, and folklore at Duke University, UCLA, University of Washington, Denison University, as well as contributed to exhibitions at the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam and Henry Art Museum. He has been featured on NPR, BBC, and The New York Times, and has written articles for Metropolis, The Comics Journal, and Weird Tales Magazine.
As a manga translator, Davisson was nominated for the 2014 Japanese-US Friendship Commission Translation Prize for his translation of the multiple Eisner Award-winning SHOWA: A HISTORY OF JAPAN. Other acclaimed translations include Satoshi Kon’s OPUS and THE ART OF SATOSHI KON, Mamoru Oshii’s SERAPHIM: 266613336 WINGS, Leiji Matsumoto’s QUEEN EMERALDAS, Kazuhiro Fujita’s THE GHOST AND THE LADY, Go Nagai’s CUTIE HONEY, and Gou Tanabe’s Eisner Award-nominated HP LOVECRAFT’S THE HOUND AND OTHER TALES.
He lives in Seattle, WA with his wife Miyuki, a dog, two cats, and several ghosts.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
November 6, 2020
As Lafcadio Hearn said, to understand yūrei and the Rule of the Dead — to understand the obligations of birth and death — is to understand much of Japan. To anyone who has lived there, many of Japan’s customs and cultures, rituals and festivals, are incomprehensible without the missing puzzle piece that is the yūrei. Why do people put red hats and scarves on small statues of Jizō? Yūrei. Why do they take time off work in the summer to clean the family graves and put candles in the window? Yūrei.
What a great little book on Japanese history and culture. Highly recommend to anyone interested in Japan. And the Yurei stories are bonkers. I particularly liked Evil Split of Princess Sakura, 1817 Kabuki play.
What a great little book on Japanese history and culture. Highly recommend to anyone interested in Japan. And the Yurei stories are bonkers. I particularly liked Evil Split of Princess Sakura, 1817 Kabuki play.
September 7, 2020
El autor de este libro hace una revisión bibliográfica de los fantasmas en Japón, incluyendo libros como Heike Monogatari, La historia de Genji, obras de Lafcadio Hearn, así como pinturas y películas. Nos habla de la importancia de los ancestros en la era Edo, nos explica porque los fantasmas son representados sin pies, vestidos de blanco y con una larga cabellera. Incluye ilustraciones (pocas para el precio del libro) y al final algunos relatos de fantasmas. Es un buen libro pero sus 200 páginas saben a poco.
April 28, 2020
(English below)Japón y el mundo sobrenatural, dos temas que me encantan, así que no podía dejar de leer este libro. Pero como siempre llegamos al problema de la expectativas, que suelen ser defraudadas. Pero no ocurre así en esta obra.
Este trabajo es una pequeña joya, con una tarea de documentación detrás que presumo titánica. Pero no sólo de documentación vive un libro. Si luego los contenidos no están bien organizados y la explicación es densa, la lectura puede ser insufrible. Pero Davisson sabe explicar las cosas de forma amena y el interés no decae (casi) nunca.
Empezamos con la presentación de la pintura del fantasma Oyuki para explicar como se formó la imagen más tradicional del Yurei, los espíritus de muertos japoneses, y se explican las similitudes y diferencias con sus equivalentes occidentales. El autor hace una gran introducción del mundo espiritual japonés, sin el cual no se puede entender el concepto de yurei. Luego pasa a discutir los fantasmas motivados por el odio, por el amor y los atados a un lugar específico. Llegamos a conocer la escalofriantes historias de Oiwa (odio, mucho odio) y Okiku (ese pozo...) y sus versiones. Finalmente se explica la razón de la existencia del Festival de los Muertos, Obon.
El libro incluye también una serie de láminas a color con diferentes imágenes de los yurei realizadas a lo largo de los siglos, incluyendo la primera de todo, la del espíritu de Oyuki,que regresa por amor.
Al final se presentan la traducción de los originales de algunos de los cuentos de fantasmas más famosos, algunos varias veces, de diferentes fuentes y con variaciones en la historia. Muy interesante también.
Sólo hay un par de pegas: no soy muy bueno encontrando faltas ortográficas cuando leo un texto que me engancha, pero se ven bastantes. Y el índice tiene errores, los nombre de los capítulos en el índice no se corresponden con los reales. La editorial debería haber llevado un poco más de control. La otra pega está en el capítulo 8, sobre los fantasmas del amor y sobre Otsuyu, se discuten demasiado detalles y versiones antes de que el lector se haga una idea de la historia principal. Es el único capítulo un poco más arduo de leer.
En resumen, una gran obra para los amantes tanto de los sobrenatural como de Japón.
ENGLISH:
Japan and the supernatural world, two subjects I love, so I simply had to read this book. But as always we come to the problem of expectations, which are often unfulfilled. But that's not the case in this book.
This work is a little gem, with a documentation task behind it that I presume is titanic. But a book is not only about documentation. If the contents are not well organized and the explanation is dense, the reading can be unbearable. But Davisson knows how to explain things in a pleasant way and interest (almost) never declines.
We begin with the presentation of the Oyuki ghost painting to explain how the more traditional image of the Yurei, the Japanese spirits of the dead, was formed, and to explain the similarities and differences with their Western equivalents. The author makes a great introduction of the Japanese spiritual world, without which the concept of yurei cannot be understood. He then goes on to discuss the ghosts motivated by hate, by love and those tied to a specific place. We get to know the chilling stories of Oiwa (hate, hate, hate) and Okiku (that well...) and their versions. Finally, the reason for the existence of the Festival of the Dead, Obon, is explained.
The book also includes a series of color plates with different images of the Yurei made over the centuries, including the first of all, the spirit of Oyuki, who returns for love.
At the end of the book are the translations of the originals of some of the most famous ghost stories, some of them appear several times, from different sources and with variations on the story. Very interesting too.
There is only a bit of issue with chapter 8, about the ghosts of love and Otsuyu, too many details and versions are discussed before the reader gets an idea of the main story. It's the only chapter that's a little harder to read.
In short, a great work for lovers of both the supernatural and Japan.
Este trabajo es una pequeña joya, con una tarea de documentación detrás que presumo titánica. Pero no sólo de documentación vive un libro. Si luego los contenidos no están bien organizados y la explicación es densa, la lectura puede ser insufrible. Pero Davisson sabe explicar las cosas de forma amena y el interés no decae (casi) nunca.
Empezamos con la presentación de la pintura del fantasma Oyuki para explicar como se formó la imagen más tradicional del Yurei, los espíritus de muertos japoneses, y se explican las similitudes y diferencias con sus equivalentes occidentales. El autor hace una gran introducción del mundo espiritual japonés, sin el cual no se puede entender el concepto de yurei. Luego pasa a discutir los fantasmas motivados por el odio, por el amor y los atados a un lugar específico. Llegamos a conocer la escalofriantes historias de Oiwa (odio, mucho odio) y Okiku (ese pozo...) y sus versiones. Finalmente se explica la razón de la existencia del Festival de los Muertos, Obon.
El libro incluye también una serie de láminas a color con diferentes imágenes de los yurei realizadas a lo largo de los siglos, incluyendo la primera de todo, la del espíritu de Oyuki,que regresa por amor.
Al final se presentan la traducción de los originales de algunos de los cuentos de fantasmas más famosos, algunos varias veces, de diferentes fuentes y con variaciones en la historia. Muy interesante también.
Sólo hay un par de pegas: no soy muy bueno encontrando faltas ortográficas cuando leo un texto que me engancha, pero se ven bastantes. Y el índice tiene errores, los nombre de los capítulos en el índice no se corresponden con los reales. La editorial debería haber llevado un poco más de control. La otra pega está en el capítulo 8, sobre los fantasmas del amor y sobre Otsuyu, se discuten demasiado detalles y versiones antes de que el lector se haga una idea de la historia principal. Es el único capítulo un poco más arduo de leer.
En resumen, una gran obra para los amantes tanto de los sobrenatural como de Japón.
ENGLISH:
Japan and the supernatural world, two subjects I love, so I simply had to read this book. But as always we come to the problem of expectations, which are often unfulfilled. But that's not the case in this book.
This work is a little gem, with a documentation task behind it that I presume is titanic. But a book is not only about documentation. If the contents are not well organized and the explanation is dense, the reading can be unbearable. But Davisson knows how to explain things in a pleasant way and interest (almost) never declines.
We begin with the presentation of the Oyuki ghost painting to explain how the more traditional image of the Yurei, the Japanese spirits of the dead, was formed, and to explain the similarities and differences with their Western equivalents. The author makes a great introduction of the Japanese spiritual world, without which the concept of yurei cannot be understood. He then goes on to discuss the ghosts motivated by hate, by love and those tied to a specific place. We get to know the chilling stories of Oiwa (hate, hate, hate) and Okiku (that well...) and their versions. Finally, the reason for the existence of the Festival of the Dead, Obon, is explained.
The book also includes a series of color plates with different images of the Yurei made over the centuries, including the first of all, the spirit of Oyuki, who returns for love.
At the end of the book are the translations of the originals of some of the most famous ghost stories, some of them appear several times, from different sources and with variations on the story. Very interesting too.
There is only a bit of issue with chapter 8, about the ghosts of love and Otsuyu, too many details and versions are discussed before the reader gets an idea of the main story. It's the only chapter that's a little harder to read.
In short, a great work for lovers of both the supernatural and Japan.
May 19, 2016
This is a an excellent little book that gives a quick, but detailed overview of Yūrei and some other Japanese folklore. I especially loved the art. Several full color paintings add a lot of depth to the specific legends. Davisson also references tons of other books and collections of short stories which I'm hoping to eventually read as well. For a short book, I got a lot out of it.
If I have any criticism, it's that the author occasionally assumes that the reader knows more than they probably do. There were a few times when he made vague references to cultural practices and I had no idea what he was talking about. Other times, he would reference a specific part of a story without saying outright what he was referencing. (This was particularly prominent in the story of Otsusu, where he discussed the dramatic climax repeatedly with no direct mention of what actually happened) Luckily, he does include most of these stories in the back of the book and if I had it to do over, I would read those first. There were times when it was hard to follow and remember the names, many of them are very similar. I didn't want to annotate the book itself, so I ended up keeping separate notes, but it definitely helped to keep things straight.
Overall, this is a great book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in folklore and ghosts.
(Also, the cover is beautiful and is what attracted me to the book in the first place)
If I have any criticism, it's that the author occasionally assumes that the reader knows more than they probably do. There were a few times when he made vague references to cultural practices and I had no idea what he was talking about. Other times, he would reference a specific part of a story without saying outright what he was referencing. (This was particularly prominent in the story of Otsusu, where he discussed the dramatic climax repeatedly with no direct mention of what actually happened) Luckily, he does include most of these stories in the back of the book and if I had it to do over, I would read those first. There were times when it was hard to follow and remember the names, many of them are very similar. I didn't want to annotate the book itself, so I ended up keeping separate notes, but it definitely helped to keep things straight.
Overall, this is a great book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in folklore and ghosts.
(Also, the cover is beautiful and is what attracted me to the book in the first place)
September 4, 2019
Recomendadísimo.
Reseña completa.
Reseña completa.
April 30, 2019
Este es un libro interesante que explica la relación entre los fantasmas y la cultura japonesa. Con esto pude entender algunas referencias de películas más actuales (como El Aro) y aprender más sobre el teatro kabuki y la influencia del budismo en la percepción de lo sobrenatural en Japón.
August 25, 2019
I loved it. So. Much. It left me with a mountain of new info and a huge list of extra research to do >.> so many books to read, movies to watch, history books to tackle.
It’s extremely well-researched, it’s a serious book (some reviews fail to mention it) but written in a casual tone, friendly. What I appreciated the most: the author never treats the readers as if they were stupid, he never treats you like a child (oversimplified examples, language), opposed to what I’ve seen in other books written in this tone.
Why should you learn about yurei? From this book, I learned they’re extremely important to understand Japanese culture (some things are mentioned explicitly, others can be inferred) I’ll borrow a quote from the book:
“to understand yūrei and the Rule of the Dead — to understand the obligations of birth and death — is to understand much of Japan. To anyone who has lived there, many of Japan’s customs and cultures, rituals and festivals, are incomprehensible without the missing puzzle piece that is the yūrei. Why do people put red hats and scarves on small statues of Jizō? Yūrei. Why do they take time off work in the summer to clean the family graves and put candles in the window? Yūrei.”
It’s extremely well-researched, it’s a serious book (some reviews fail to mention it) but written in a casual tone, friendly. What I appreciated the most: the author never treats the readers as if they were stupid, he never treats you like a child (oversimplified examples, language), opposed to what I’ve seen in other books written in this tone.
Why should you learn about yurei? From this book, I learned they’re extremely important to understand Japanese culture (some things are mentioned explicitly, others can be inferred) I’ll borrow a quote from the book:
“to understand yūrei and the Rule of the Dead — to understand the obligations of birth and death — is to understand much of Japan. To anyone who has lived there, many of Japan’s customs and cultures, rituals and festivals, are incomprehensible without the missing puzzle piece that is the yūrei. Why do people put red hats and scarves on small statues of Jizō? Yūrei. Why do they take time off work in the summer to clean the family graves and put candles in the window? Yūrei.”
October 27, 2021
I realized I hadn't read much nonfiction this spooky season, and this book caught my eye. Like most westerners, my primary exposure to yurei is through Japanese horror movies, like Ringu, Ju-On, One Missed Call, etc., so I thought it would be interesting to learn something more about the history of these sorts of iconic spirits. I wasn't disappointed.
While Yurei focuses primarily on three specific spirits from Japanese folklore: Oiwa, Okiku, and Otsuyu, the examination of each one is thorough, and there's enough supplementary information to flesh things out beyond this trio. I went into this book, expecting to learn more about ghosts, but I wasn't anticipating learning so much about kabuki theater, and some of the finer details of Japanese politics and culture throughout a sizable swath of its history. It's an engrossing read, from both a folkloric as well as a sociological standpoint.
While Yurei focuses primarily on three specific spirits from Japanese folklore: Oiwa, Okiku, and Otsuyu, the examination of each one is thorough, and there's enough supplementary information to flesh things out beyond this trio. I went into this book, expecting to learn more about ghosts, but I wasn't anticipating learning so much about kabuki theater, and some of the finer details of Japanese politics and culture throughout a sizable swath of its history. It's an engrossing read, from both a folkloric as well as a sociological standpoint.
October 14, 2018
This tows the line between overly-scholarly and readable, and is clearly a product of much research and love. The design of the book is also beautiful, but sadly a small number of typographic errors mar the text which I found a bit distracting - most of these are simple typos or missing full stops, but the quote that opens chapter 12 appears to have been mixed up with the first paragraph. Unless the translation of a text from the 1700s happens to mention the film of said text?
Anyway, it's a superb book and one I would recommend to lovers of horror, folklore and/or Japanese culture, though if you're new to the subject Yurei Attack would be more accessible.
Anyway, it's a superb book and one I would recommend to lovers of horror, folklore and/or Japanese culture, though if you're new to the subject Yurei Attack would be more accessible.
July 14, 2016
I enjoyed the book in general - if you are an enthusiast or a student of Japanese culture and want more information and insight into yurei. Many other people have already hit on what makes this book enjoyable and why you SHOULD read it if you are interested in the literary history and cultural relevance of the Japanese ghost. Other than a few minor quibbles, I really only had one issue with the book, mentioned below.
While reading Chapter 7 (Ghosts of Hate), I stumbled across an apparent plagiarism, which left the second half of the book a little sour for me. It sort of cheapened my enjoyment of the book which is a real shame, as I ended up doubting the level of scholarship of the book as a whole. It was purely by chance that I noticed it. I had just read the chapter on a flight home, and then later that evening pulled up the Wikipedia page for Yotsuya Kaidan to send to someone I was discussing the book with. On page 92 of the book, starting with the second sentence of the second paragraph, the remainder of the paragraph is copied verbatim from that article( The section under 'Historical basis' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yotsuya...) , starting with 'incorporated two sensational'
"[Nanboku] incorporated two sensational and real-life murders into Yotsuya Kaidan, combining fact and fiction in a manner that resonated with audiences. The first involved two servants who had murdered their respective masters. They were caught and executed on the same day. The second murder was from a samurai who discovered his concubine was having an affair with a servant. The samurai had the faithless concubine and servant nailed to a wooden board and thrown into the Kanda River."
So, yeah. That kind of sucked. If the language hadn't literally been identical I wouldn't have even noticed it I don't think.
While reading Chapter 7 (Ghosts of Hate), I stumbled across an apparent plagiarism, which left the second half of the book a little sour for me. It sort of cheapened my enjoyment of the book which is a real shame, as I ended up doubting the level of scholarship of the book as a whole. It was purely by chance that I noticed it. I had just read the chapter on a flight home, and then later that evening pulled up the Wikipedia page for Yotsuya Kaidan to send to someone I was discussing the book with. On page 92 of the book, starting with the second sentence of the second paragraph, the remainder of the paragraph is copied verbatim from that article( The section under 'Historical basis' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yotsuya...) , starting with 'incorporated two sensational'
"[Nanboku] incorporated two sensational and real-life murders into Yotsuya Kaidan, combining fact and fiction in a manner that resonated with audiences. The first involved two servants who had murdered their respective masters. They were caught and executed on the same day. The second murder was from a samurai who discovered his concubine was having an affair with a servant. The samurai had the faithless concubine and servant nailed to a wooden board and thrown into the Kanda River."
So, yeah. That kind of sucked. If the language hadn't literally been identical I wouldn't have even noticed it I don't think.
January 21, 2016
A fascinating book that goes into the history of Japanese ghosts and how that history affected Japanese society from early times onward. The attention paid toward the dead, the rituals revolving around the dead and the Yasakuni shrine are all tied in together. Some of the points that I found particular interesting include:
The author discusses the types of obligation in Japan and notes that since a person gives birth to another then they are obligated to take care of them after their death. They are to provide the dead with food, drink and entertainment. This leads to many homes having shrines to their dead where they put food and drink and sometimes do something to entertain the spirits of the dead. (p. 58)
The book discusses how all this related to the concept of beheading prisoners back in the times of the samurai. If you beheaded them then you did not owe them any obligation to take care of their spirits after their death.
The author also discusses the types of ghostly spirits. We see tales of such spirits in the present-day horror movies from Japan and other Asian countries. One such story is The Ring (I really liked the DVD, by the way) and various other DVDs. Thus, much of what we see in these horror movies is based on stories that may go back hundreds of years, sometimes more. The book also provides a glossary so you can better understand the different types of ghostly spirits. It's a quite fascinating book and it's interesting to see how the ghost stories differ in some ways from ghost stories from Western nations.
The author discusses the types of obligation in Japan and notes that since a person gives birth to another then they are obligated to take care of them after their death. They are to provide the dead with food, drink and entertainment. This leads to many homes having shrines to their dead where they put food and drink and sometimes do something to entertain the spirits of the dead. (p. 58)
The book discusses how all this related to the concept of beheading prisoners back in the times of the samurai. If you beheaded them then you did not owe them any obligation to take care of their spirits after their death.
The author also discusses the types of ghostly spirits. We see tales of such spirits in the present-day horror movies from Japan and other Asian countries. One such story is The Ring (I really liked the DVD, by the way) and various other DVDs. Thus, much of what we see in these horror movies is based on stories that may go back hundreds of years, sometimes more. The book also provides a glossary so you can better understand the different types of ghostly spirits. It's a quite fascinating book and it's interesting to see how the ghost stories differ in some ways from ghost stories from Western nations.
December 25, 2018
Japón es un país de fantasmas en muchos sentidos, pero este libro, dedicado a los fantasmas que vienen del la Tierra de las Sombras (Yū) o sea, del Más Allá, es uno de los mejores que he leído sobre el tema. El libro registra todo el espectro —nunca mejor dicho— de seres fantasmales del Japón, las obras que les dieron origen, las costumbres y leyendas al respecto pero muy a fondo. La obra es entretenida a rabiar y sus destellos antropológicos nos ayudan a descubrir a través de sus fantasmas, mucho de la psique del Japón. La obra da especial importancia a las tres Yūrei más famosas del Japón: Oiwa,quién es la principal inspiradora de las fantasmas de las películas modernas como Sadako —de El Aro— y Kayako —de Yū-On o The Grundge—; Otsuyu, la amante hermosa y muerta que cada noche arrebata algo de la vida de su amor (cuyo relato La lámpara de Flores podemos encontrarlo en el libro de Lafcadio Hearn, En el Japón Espectral); y Okiku, la pobre chica acusada de un error que no cometió...y muchísimas historias más que van desde lo terrorífico hasta lo sublime. Este libro de Zack Davidson es imperdible.
December 17, 2016
Yurei: The Japanese Ghost was an insightful read for the history of a cultural cornerstone in Japan.
Going into Yurei I really had no expectations at to what Mr. Davisson would present so I was delightfully surprised to find all the history and facts in an easy to read and understand format. With the nice breakdown I was never confused about the different type of Yurei despite a vast array of different categories of Yurei.
I had the honor of meeting Mr. Davisson a couple years ago at a Japanese cultural event and he was kind enough to share a bit of Japanese history reading Yurei reminded me of that conversation.
Going into Yurei I really had no expectations at to what Mr. Davisson would present so I was delightfully surprised to find all the history and facts in an easy to read and understand format. With the nice breakdown I was never confused about the different type of Yurei despite a vast array of different categories of Yurei.
I had the honor of meeting Mr. Davisson a couple years ago at a Japanese cultural event and he was kind enough to share a bit of Japanese history reading Yurei reminded me of that conversation.
January 1, 2017
Beginning with a personal anecdote and leading into the history of the yūrei, this book takes the reader on a well informed journey of an often misunderstood part of Japanese culture from a western point of view. What is a yūrei? How do they differ from the term 'ghost' and, more importantly, how does their place even in modern literature, cinema, and media have such staying power? This book answers it all and opens up new avenues for the reader to explore, should they wish to know more. Recommended for those interested in the supernatural genre or cultural studies and a treasure to any personal library.
January 4, 2016
Interesting, fast read that's well-written and researched. This one is worth reading on a Kindle Fire (or color monitor) to get the most out of the included art examples.
September 21, 2023
In Yurei: The Japanese Ghost, translator and folklorist Zack Davisson provides a wealth of information on the origins and conception of the infamously horrifying Japanese ghost legends, and what, he claims, makes them unique from any other cultural idea of the unquiet dead. Despite his deep focus on yurei (literally a “dim spirit) specifically, Davisson’s work is useful in looking at Japanese folklore as a whole as he follows the idea of ghosts in Japan from antiquity to its contemporary international popularity.
Charting the evolution of the yurei legend from origins in ancient literary sources like the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters, circa 712 CE) and the Konjaku Monogatarishu (Collected Tales of Times Now Past, circa 1120 CE) to the collected lore of early folklorists like Hearn and Yanagita, Davisson emphasizes how the contemporary vision of the yurei really took off during the Edo period (1603-1868 CE), as popular media like ukiyo-e prints and kabuki theater expanded their cultural reach.
Using the “Three Great Yurei of Japan,” Oiwa, Otsuyu, and Okiku to exemplify the development of the various motifs of the yurei trope, he highlights the way ideas of the supernatural shift and change through history, specifically through the lens of popular culture. Packed full of fascinating insights, including several weird tales exemplifying his points, a glossary of terms, and copious references, Davisson’s work is a nice resource, though an index would have been useful.
I discuss other works recently published in English on Japanese folklore at Harris’ Tome Corner- Narrating the Strange: Kaidan of Yokai and Yurei in Japanese Folklore.
Charting the evolution of the yurei legend from origins in ancient literary sources like the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters, circa 712 CE) and the Konjaku Monogatarishu (Collected Tales of Times Now Past, circa 1120 CE) to the collected lore of early folklorists like Hearn and Yanagita, Davisson emphasizes how the contemporary vision of the yurei really took off during the Edo period (1603-1868 CE), as popular media like ukiyo-e prints and kabuki theater expanded their cultural reach.
Using the “Three Great Yurei of Japan,” Oiwa, Otsuyu, and Okiku to exemplify the development of the various motifs of the yurei trope, he highlights the way ideas of the supernatural shift and change through history, specifically through the lens of popular culture. Packed full of fascinating insights, including several weird tales exemplifying his points, a glossary of terms, and copious references, Davisson’s work is a nice resource, though an index would have been useful.
I discuss other works recently published in English on Japanese folklore at Harris’ Tome Corner- Narrating the Strange: Kaidan of Yokai and Yurei in Japanese Folklore.
January 3, 2025
This is a fascinating history of the way the dead affect everyday life in Japan, the history of stories about ghosts, and their influence on books, theater, and movies up to contemporary times.
Just as Lafcadio Hearn was a Westerner who married a Japanese woman and wrote books to explain Japan to the West, Davisson married a Japanese woman and seeks to explain the influence of ghosts (yurei) and spirits of the dead to a Western audience.
There are different versions of ghosts. Davisson focuses on three classic ghosts (all female) who are well known to all Japanese and who have inspired countless retellings and adaptations. Different chapters focus on ghosts of love, of hate, and representations in the arts (largely Kabuki).
The book has lovely color illustrations intermittently, mainly copies of woodblock prints showing famous ghosts or famous scenes from Kabuki showing ghosts. It's nice to see the physical representations of how Japanese think of their ghosts. These look nothing like Western versions of ghosts.
I was dismayed to discover that when I was at Himeji Castle, I failed to see the famous well of Okiku, the woman who drowned in the well and is attached to it. Oh well, I didn't know the significance of Japanese ghosts at the time. Now I understand more about the culture, especially the Obon festival in summer that celebrates the spirits of ancestors.
Just as Lafcadio Hearn was a Westerner who married a Japanese woman and wrote books to explain Japan to the West, Davisson married a Japanese woman and seeks to explain the influence of ghosts (yurei) and spirits of the dead to a Western audience.
There are different versions of ghosts. Davisson focuses on three classic ghosts (all female) who are well known to all Japanese and who have inspired countless retellings and adaptations. Different chapters focus on ghosts of love, of hate, and representations in the arts (largely Kabuki).
The book has lovely color illustrations intermittently, mainly copies of woodblock prints showing famous ghosts or famous scenes from Kabuki showing ghosts. It's nice to see the physical representations of how Japanese think of their ghosts. These look nothing like Western versions of ghosts.
I was dismayed to discover that when I was at Himeji Castle, I failed to see the famous well of Okiku, the woman who drowned in the well and is attached to it. Oh well, I didn't know the significance of Japanese ghosts at the time. Now I understand more about the culture, especially the Obon festival in summer that celebrates the spirits of ancestors.
November 7, 2021
A comprehensive look at the Japanese yurei, or ghost. Beginning with a personal experience and ending with a collection of kaidanshu, or ghost stories featuring the various kinds of yurei, Zack Davisson explores the history of Japanese concepts of life, death, and the afterlife from the earliest era to the modern age, including the many changes wrought by the introduction of Buddhism to the Land of the Rising Sun. He discusses the rise of kaidanshu and how these stories were portrayed in kabuki theater as well as associated burial customs. Along the way, he explains the importance of chaetophobia, and how it ties into the supernatural power of a woman's hair in the Japanese mythos. Then he explores the traditional parlor game of hyaku-monogatari kaidankai which translates as ‘a gathering of 100 weird tales’ told one by one by the guests as candles are extinguished and the room grows darker and darker. Davisson also delineates the San O-Yurei, the Three Great Yurei and how they differ, as well as how they are portrayed in modern movies and works of fiction such as The Ring. The book is written with a scholar's attention to detail as well as a kabuki actor's gift for dramatization. Highly recommended.
July 9, 2020
A fun read for the long nights (because a normal sleep cycle is now but a distant memory). The author writes with enthusiasm and recaps the general taxonomy of the 幽霊, outlining how exactly they differ from Western spirits. However, he really only talks about the three greatest (female) Yurei, excluding all other related monsters and demons, which I thought would have been good companion pieces (I've been haunted by images of the long-necked demons, Rokurokubi, since I was a child).
Each entry in the book unfortunately devolves into a repetitive listing of the appearance of each Yurei in contemporary media. I liked the bits where he explained the influence of Sino-Korean-Japanese syncretism and the gradual development of myths, but it's not explored to a satisfactory level. Finally, there are truly baffling typographical and formatting mistakes including spurious commas and a breathtakingly inaccurate use of 'phenomenon' as a plural.
Each entry in the book unfortunately devolves into a repetitive listing of the appearance of each Yurei in contemporary media. I liked the bits where he explained the influence of Sino-Korean-Japanese syncretism and the gradual development of myths, but it's not explored to a satisfactory level. Finally, there are truly baffling typographical and formatting mistakes including spurious commas and a breathtakingly inaccurate use of 'phenomenon' as a plural.
November 1, 2023
Me ha sacado totalmente de mi zona de confort, ya que siempre leo novelas o relatos.
Muy buen libro para los amantes de Japón, he aprendido muchas curiosidades de su cultura y conocido que son los kaidan (historias misteriosas) y sus famosos yurei (fantasmas).
El autor ha hecho un gran trabajo de recopilación de datos y ofrece una buena introducción y resumen de las costumbres y estilo de vida japonés basado en su creencia en lo sobrenatural, pasando por resumir la vida y obra de muchos artistas influyentes de la cultura nipona.
Además hay una buena recopilación de estas historias de yurei y sus orígenes e ilustradaciones a color de obras de arte.
En contra, tengo que decir, que en algunos momentos se me ha hecho pesado tantos nombres propios japoneses y tantas fechas que mi mente no consigue retener.
Muy buen libro para los amantes de Japón, he aprendido muchas curiosidades de su cultura y conocido que son los kaidan (historias misteriosas) y sus famosos yurei (fantasmas).
El autor ha hecho un gran trabajo de recopilación de datos y ofrece una buena introducción y resumen de las costumbres y estilo de vida japonés basado en su creencia en lo sobrenatural, pasando por resumir la vida y obra de muchos artistas influyentes de la cultura nipona.
Además hay una buena recopilación de estas historias de yurei y sus orígenes e ilustradaciones a color de obras de arte.
En contra, tengo que decir, que en algunos momentos se me ha hecho pesado tantos nombres propios japoneses y tantas fechas que mi mente no consigue retener.
October 25, 2025
Un libro acerca de todo lo relacionado no solo al Yūrei, sino a casi todos los fantasmas ancestrales de Japón. Creí que sería un libro de recopilación de historias acerca de éstos seres, pero ya sido una especie de documental histórico en el que se nos explica todo el transfondo que tienen las historias, de dónde se originaron, en que consisten éstos malos espíritus y las diferencias entre éstos y otros seres de tan mágico país.
Muy buen libro, con demasiada información. Muchos nombres y lugares, y demasiadas leyendas y mitos. Tal vez fue demasiado de todo, por lo que el libro se me hizo mucho más denso y complicado de leer que si hubieran sido solo las historias. Un muy buen libro, pero una mala elección para la Spooky Season, pues no hubo un solo momento en que me asustara o me alterara los nervios. Era todo demasiado informático para eso.
⭐⭐⭐✨3.5
Muy buen libro, con demasiada información. Muchos nombres y lugares, y demasiadas leyendas y mitos. Tal vez fue demasiado de todo, por lo que el libro se me hizo mucho más denso y complicado de leer que si hubieran sido solo las historias. Un muy buen libro, pero una mala elección para la Spooky Season, pues no hubo un solo momento en que me asustara o me alterara los nervios. Era todo demasiado informático para eso.
⭐⭐⭐✨3.5
March 5, 2019
I've lived in Japan for several years and know a bit about Japanese customs and culture, but this book opened up my eyes to the history and folklore that influenced much of Japanese culture as it exists today. I'm no stranger to Japanese folklore, and yet after reading this book I realized that my self education in Japanese myth and mythology had several large gaps. I was already familiar with Okiku, one of the three great ghosts of Japan, but the stories of Oiwa and Oyutsu had eluded me until now. I found the history of Kabuki and how it has influenced modern Japanese media especially interesting. All in all, a very scholarly but still easy to read book. Would recommend.
December 22, 2025
Zdecydowanie bardzo ciekawa i informatywna książka, która przybliża tak ważny element japońskiej kultury. Davisson zbiera zarówno ustne podania ludowe, literaturę poważną i tą mniej, teatr, a także współczesne odniesienia do japońskich zjaw, których nazwę nie sposób przetłumaczyć na jakikolwiek inny język. Bardzo obszerne rozdziały na temat kabuki i ugetsu-monogatari balansują raczej luźne części książki, jak te na temat duchów śmierci, miłości czy nienawiści. Jako, ze jest napakowana odniesieniami, to bardziej doinformowany czytelnik będzie bawił się lepiej. Przeciekawa, tym bardziej, ze o yūrei mówi się mało.
March 13, 2021
I measure how good a book is by how many people I tell about it, and I have told everyone I know about this title.
Starting on a purely aesthetic level, the book itself is wonderful. Tactile, high quality and with stunning colour prints. A real bookshelf beauty.
As for the work itself, it's a superbly researched and written exploration of Japans relationship with the supernatural. The historical and cultural origins of its stories and beliefs are deftly detailed, and create a true sense of understanding in the reader.
An absolute pleasure to read.
Starting on a purely aesthetic level, the book itself is wonderful. Tactile, high quality and with stunning colour prints. A real bookshelf beauty.
As for the work itself, it's a superbly researched and written exploration of Japans relationship with the supernatural. The historical and cultural origins of its stories and beliefs are deftly detailed, and create a true sense of understanding in the reader.
An absolute pleasure to read.
March 27, 2019
Full of folk stories about ghosts and curses, delving into the cultural aspects and history of Japan as well. Unfortunately the flow of this book wasn't perfect for me and the contents sort of blended into one big mess. I'll probably sooner be returning to The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore than to this one.
May 11, 2019
Exceedingly palatable and written in such a manner as to easily convey the subject to an unfamiliar reader. Unfortunately marred with many spelling, punctuation, and typographical errors that distract from the text, and I found unendingly distracting. Still, a very enjoyable read and informative for those who are interested in the subject.
November 20, 2024
This book exams the inspirations for Japanese horror cinema and novels. The fundamentals of these dark tales were born in Japanese folklore, the Shinto religion and certain Buddhist sects and are all closely examined in this exceptional book. I strongly recommend this book for longtime fans of Japanese horror and for American horror fans who are thinking about expanding their horizons.
December 23, 2018
Dla osób zainteresowanych japońską kulturą jest to zdecydowanie książka z rodzaju tych, które trzeba przeczytać. Bardzo dobra pod względem merytorycznym, przystępnie napisana i co tu dużo kryć, fascynująca.
Cała opinia:
http://www.kacikzksiazka.pl/2018/12/y...
Cała opinia:
http://www.kacikzksiazka.pl/2018/12/y...
November 18, 2018
A very interesting book. The books I have read about the Yurei have been quite well written.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews