Kolejna w serii książka przybliżająca Czytelnikowi japońskie legendy i opowieści z dawnych czasów. Tym razem motywem przewodnim są tytułowi kochankowie – małżonkowie, narzeczeni, wzdychający do siebie zakochani, ale i zazdrośni adoratorzy czy uwodzicielskie istoty nadprzyrodzone. Codzienność przeplata się tu ze zjawiskami nie z tej ziemi, wiodąc bohaterów czasem do szczęśliwego, lecz czasem też tragicznego finału.
Yei Theodora Ozaki was an early 20th century translator of Japanese short stories and fairy tales. Her translations were fairly liberal but have been popular, and were reprinted several times after her death.
According to "A Biographical Sketch" by Mrs. Hugh Fraser, included in the introductory material to Warriors of old Japan, and other stories, Ozaki came from an unusual background. She was the daughter of Baron Ozaki, one of the first Japanese men to study in the West, and Bathia Catherine Morrison, daughter of William Morrison, one of their teachers. Her parents separated after five years of marriage, and her mother retained custody of their three daughters until they became teenagers. At that time, Yei was sent to live in Japan with her father, which she enjoyed. Later she refused an arranged marriage, left her father's house, and became a teacher and secretary to earn money. Over the years, she traveled back and forth between Japan and Europe, as her employment and family duties took her, and lived in places as diverse as Italy and the drafty upper floor of a Buddhist temple.
All this time, her letters were frequently misdelivered to the unrelated Japanese politician Yukio Ozaki, and his to her. In 1904, they finally met, and soon married.
This is a short story collection of classic Japanese tales, written by a half-Japanese, half-British girl living in Japan at the turn of the century. Many of the stories are certainly more tragedies than romances, but there is something poignant and moving about the stories. They really show traditional Japanese philosophies about life and death, usually dealing with suicide. If you are curious to learn more about Japan, I highly recommend this book.