Histoires japonaises: contes traditionnels de monstres et de magie

Tales

by Various, Kotaro Chiba (Illustrator), Cécile Breffort (Translator)

Un gobelin sans corps et un monstre sans visage... Un samouraï plein de ressources et une fille fidèle... Un esprit de la lune et un roi dragon...
Ce recueil de 15 contes traditionnels japonais transporte le lecteur dans un monde d'aventure et d'enchantement. Tirés des œuvres des folkloristes Lafcadio Hearn et Yei Theodora Ozaki, ces contes sont tour à tour terrifiants, exaltants et poétiques.
Illustrations saisissantes de l'artiste japonais contemporain Kotaro Chiba
L'édition spéciale cadeau comprend un boîtier texturé et gaufré avec une encre dorée métallisée et un marqueur de page en ruban de satin

Genres: Mythology, Fantasy, Short Stories, Japan, Fiction, Fairy Tales, Folklore

167 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2019

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.

Reviews

[spring ~♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Things I've learnt from Japanese Folklore:

- if a ghost tell you to keep a secret, for the love of yokai keep your mouth shut!

- All the old man-women are super sad because they have no child.

- that reminded me, if you are really old and sad cause you have no child don't worry. You'll get a magical one soon.

- Monkeys are evil. Stay away from them.

- Jellyfishes are stupid.

- Monkeys can breathe underwater but can't swim.

- most of the ghosts are also stupid.

I admit, I expected more. I thought there's going to be a lot of spooky gruesome tales. Stories of Yokai and strange night creatures. There were a few stories I enjoyed, but not as much as I thought I would. Most of them were kind of boring and felt out of place. Maybe it's the translation? Or maybe this book is for younger audience.

2.5 stars.

[Els · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reasons to read this utterly gorgeous edition of Japanese folk tales:
• breathtaking illustrations
• translation notes + academic overviews (which you can skip! They’re in the footnotes! I just... like those things!
• a lovely collection of non-westernized fairytales!

Also did I mention that it is BEAUTIFUL

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐
Japanese folk tales from translations by Lafcaido Hearne and Yei Theodora Ozaki, told in a clear and evocative style. Following the pattern of folk stories from around the world, some are morality tales like Aesop's Fables. Others are pure ghost stories. Some reminded me of Mi'maq legends where the hero outwits demons or evil spirits. Each story is relatively short and self contained so you can pick the book up or put it down at your leisure ( over many months, in my case). The book is greatly enhanced by the illustrations of Kotaro Chiba.

[Mila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to enjoy this short story collection but unfortunately, a lot of them fell flat for me and either the narration style or the translation didn't work out and left an awkward feeling in a lot of the stories.

A big thank you to the publisher and the Edelweiss+ website for providing me with an early copy!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy learning about cultures different from my own and am rather partial to fairy and folk tales, so this book was right up my alley regarding those interests. I admit to being partial to Japanese history and culture, though I am not a scholar of it by any stretch of the imagination.

This book was fascinating, as many of the stories don't end how one would expect, having grown up on Grimms fairy tales. There were brutal stories that took me completely by surprise, though they honestly shouldn't have, the brothers Grimm were rather, well, grim, but there were other stories that did not follow the pattern of bad guys getting a brutal, violent come-uppance. There was mercy, forgiveness and genuine change from bad to good. I was stunned by it to be honest with you. I don't recall many Grimm stories having those qualities.

Don't get me wrong, not all of the stories ended all sunshine and roses, there were some REALLY violent stories, but they were tempered by the ones with mercy.

The stories in this book were gathered from two sources in the public domain, which I now need to hunt down and read in full. I'm a completionist and am curious about what didn't make the cut. For those wondering about those two sources, here you are.

1) Lafcadio Hearn, Kwaidan Stories and Studies of Strange Things, Houghton Mifflin 1911

2) Yei Theodora Ozaki, Japanese Fairy Tales, Grosset and Dunlap 1908

I wasn't crazy about all of the stories, but the stories of mercy. I teared up a bit. So 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Recommended if you enjoy fairy and folk tales and/or Japanese myths and legends. Very good book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

[Lauma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daži elementi stāstos nemainās neatkarīgi no to izcelsmes - greizsirdīgi kaimiņi, ļaunas pamātes, alkatība un citas labi zināmas likstas, kas ikdienā piemeklē parastos mirstīgos. Taču netrūka arī daudz citur neredzētu brīnumu. Vislabākie noteikti bija briesmoņu stāsti - senos šausmu stāstos vienmēr ir interesanti ieskatīties.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had been reading this out loud with my partner but we fell out of the habit - finished myself just to get it off my list!

A fun anthology of Japanese folktales.

[Bay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, but upgraded to four.

First of all what marvellous pictures!
Second of all, I thought these Japanese fairytales were very well translated and the narration style felt surprisingly very western. I don't know if it says something of this edition or fairytales traditions are just universal.
This doesn't mean that it didn't feel 'Japanese'. We still have samurai's and yokais and everything. It was very atmospheric and I enjoyed them well.
This is one of the better folklore collections I've read and is something I would definitely recommend.

[María · Rating 2 out of 5]

Básico (y enrevesado a la par). 2'5/5.

[Courtney Holcomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an exceptional collection of Japan's captivating tales and rich cultural heritage. 10/10 would recommend!

[Sydney Stories · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4☆/5☆
I really enjoyed the fairy tale and folklore feeling of these stories. While not all of them were amazing, each one gave me valuable insight into the life of Japanese people and culture back then, which I appreciated seeing what folk stories they would have. I really liked seeing how the characters acted and how that gave insight on how people may have acted back then. The writing was comforting and the storied enjoyable.

1. The Dream of Akinosuké 3☆
2. The Jellyfish and the Monkey 3☆
3. Momotaro 4☆
4. The Happy Hunter 5☆
5. The Bamboo Cutter 4☆
6. The Story of Mimi-Nashi-Hoichi 4☆
7. Yuki-Onna 2☆
8. Diplomacy 1☆
9. Mujina 3☆
10. A Dead Secret 2☆
11. Rokuro-Kubi 3☆
12. The Tongue-Cut Sparrow 3☆
13. The Farmer and the Badger 3☆
14. The Story of the Old Man 3☆
15. The Mirror 4☆

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely collection of Japanese folk tales, some stories I had come across before but most were new to me. Each story is very short (between 3 and 10 pages) but a lot happens in them and the stories are very varied - some are about ghosts and monsters, others are about seeking justice for wrongdoings and there are some where the characters embark on grand journeys. Would recommend for anyone interested in Japanese folklore.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have the previous folk collections published by Chronicle-- they are all beautiful and well curated, and this is no exception. The art is gorgeous and well suited to the stories, which are varied and interesting. Probably not suited to very young children due to the complexity of the language, but it doesn't feel like a small children's book anyway. 3.5.

[Paul Dilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of our favorite collections of folk tales during COVID, and the first one that we decided to finish instead of rotating books each night. The initial ones, like the Dream of Akinosuke, were possibly weirder than anything we'd encountered before, but somehow not that exciting. The Bamboo-Cutter was good but nowhere near as enjoyable as the Princess Kaguya Ghibli movie. We found our stride with the ghost stories. Rokuro-Kubi scared them the most but Mujina was also a favorite: there's something unexpectedly sinister about a face with no eyes (nor nose nor mouth I believe). Plus the raccoons in Pom Poko pretended to be one. Finally, our favorite tale of justice was the Tongue-Cut Sparrow.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5⭐ - I loved it!

This was so beautiful ❤️
Some tales were new to me, some familiar.
I love the illustrations, but I just hoped it would have had more of them.
Can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series, getting to know tales from other counties too ❤️🌍

[Anna Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories in Tales of Japan: Traditional Stories of Monsters and Magic were sourced from two 20th-century texts: Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn and Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki (both in public domain), with each story accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Kotaro Chiba. Just the cover itself is fantastic!

It's no secret that I love fairytales and folktales, especially those of Asian/East Asian origin. These fit right in with the stuff I'm looking for--my only gripe is that the translator(s) sometimes sound a little too apologetic about their use of Japanese terms which aren't directly translatable. Honestly, I don't mind. That's the charm of reading stories from other cultures, isn't it? There's also the occasional stiltedness of language, but overall, these traditional Japanese stories are highly enjoyable, written in that timeless fairy tale style.

Journeys
The Dream of Akinosuke: I'm not sure if there's an English fairy tale equivalent for this. When Akinosuke takes a break under a tree he is caught up in an elaborate dream where he is swept off at the behest of the Tokoyo no Kokuo (the ruler of an unknown country; or the King of Fairyland). Is it all a dream or is it a true fairy encounter?
The Jelly Fish and the Monkey: An origin story of the jellyfish, in the vein of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories. Also a fascinating first look at the mythology surrounding Ryn Jin, the Dragon King of the Sea.
Momotaro, or the Story of the Son of a Peach: In this Thumbelina/Tom Thumb-esque story, a childless couple cut open a giant peach to find a little child. Years later, Momotaro leaves his adopted parents to save a northeastern Japanese island from a band of devils. This gains some Bremen Town Musicians undertones with various animals joining him to help him in his quest.
The Happy Hunter and the Skillful Fisher: A lost fishing hook sends Hohodemi, the Happy Hunter, to Ryn Jin's realm. Ultimately a good brother vs bad brother story, where the older brother uses the excuse of the lost fishing hook to send Hohodemi away so he can usurp the throne. It's never explained why the younger brother is the Mikoto though and not the older? Also likely an origin story of why Hohodemi is said to control the tides.
The Bamboo-Cutter and the Moon-Child: This reminds me of Chinese tales of women (and bunnies) on the moon. No bunnies here, though. Also an amusing look at males who are so enamoured of a woman's beauty they say they would do anything to marry her... but then lie and cheat their way with the minimum of effort.

Ghosts and Monsters
The Story of Mimi-Nashi-Hoichi: This takes a dark turn, where a blind lute-priest is seen entertaining spirits.
Yuki-Onna: This story feels vaguely familiar--I probably came across it while writing When Winds Blow Cold--but it also follows the vein of traditional Chinese myths with mysterious (usually not so benign) female spirits/creatures who choose to stay with/marry a human man. The enchantment breaks and the spirit leaves when the man breaks their vow of secrecy.
Diplomacy: How do you make sure a vengeful ghost doesn't haunt you? Apparently by distracting them.
Mujina: Creepy faceless people story. I... dunno.
A Dead Secret: Still on the theme of ghosts, this dead woman won't leave until her secret is destroyed.
Rokuro-Kubi: Samurai-priests and headless goblins! It should be slightly macabre, but it's also quite hilarious.

Justice
The Tongue-Cut Sparrow: This follows the classic good hapless man, evil shrew wife. A good man gets rewarded by fairies, the evil wife tries to get more but meets her just rewards. I suppose there are similar themes no matter where you come from.
The Farmer and the Badger: An Aesop-like story, where the wicked badger tricks the farmer but then his neighbour the kind rabbit helps the farmer take revenge.
The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees to Flower: Childless couple takes care of beloved dog Shiro, who is magical and brings them good fortune! The evil neighbour who hates dogs tries to get Shiro to also bless him, but whatever he does turns to bad instead.
The Mirror of Matsuyama: Evil stepmother story. I said last week that evil stepmothers don't seem as prevalent outside Eurocentric stories, but here's one from Japan. Actually, the beginning as quite Beauty and the Beast; I was expecting the girl to be exchanged for something, but no. LOL.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chronicle Books via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Yomna asaad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as scary as I thought they’d be .. but I would to yap ABOUT THE STUPID IDIOT MAN THAT MARRIED A WOMAN NAMED YUKI (which means snow) AND WAS STUPID ENOUGH TO NOT CONNECT THE DOTS .. MAN, USE AT LEAST ONE BRAINCELL .. also if some stranger tells you to come with him for whatever reason please for the love of god don’t go

[Claire Riffle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the stories, but the translation of them fell a little flat

[Andrew Sammut · Rating 4 out of 5]

In their simplicity, most of the stories are truly remarkable and brilliant and encompass Japanese culture as it was centuries ago, the morals, the hierarchy, as well as the kind-heartedness I believe is still present in the country to this day. There are many awful characters who meet their sour demise after carrying out mostly evil actions and there are those antagonists who repent and seem to change their personality overnight...

Personally, my favourites were the jelly fish and the monkey, the story of mimi nashi hoichi, the farmer and the badger and of course, Rokuro-kubi. They are written in very simple terms though the message is portrayed a hundred times over and the reader is left satisfied with how the title of the story eventually comes into play. The illustrations are marvellous and a sight to behold, chef's kiss. Some of the stories do fall flat and I could predict how they'd end pages prior. Depicting the path the story would follow might not have been so difficult for me because I am rather acquainted with Japanese culture considering all the manga I've read and series I've watched.

Definitely a change I needed from Roald Dahl's unexpected tales since these are stories which a child would enjoy if narrated properly and with a soft intonation certainly rendering them speechless. I wasn't at all surprised by how the characters were mostly raised to be caring, loving and always careful of their surroundings however I feel as though they did sometimes forget too easily. SPOILER ALERT FOR THE BADGER AND THE RABBIT. The story which shocked me the most was definitely the badger and the rabbit. An elderly woman was killed and chopped up to be used for soup for fuck's sake.

[Marzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This is a beautifully illustrated new edition of classic Japanese folktales and myths. Some of the stories are quite dark and might be too much for younger children as bedtime stories, though they have just the right amount of monsters and journeys for children who love scary stories. While the edition is lovely, I felt that the unevenness in the quality of the stories made the compilation feel somewhat hit and miss. If you are a collector of Chronicle's beautiful series of folk and fairytales from around the world, this will be a handsome addition to your collection. The illustrations alone draw the reader into these classic stories.

I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from Chronicle via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[Jodie Steer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tales of Japan is a great introduction to Japanese fairytales, and the illustrations are beautiful. The short stories are nice, easy reads and overall I found it very enjoyable.

That being said, I found some of the tales quite repetitive, and in comparison with the other books that I have read from this series, they didn’t quite hit the same with the sense of whimsy and otherworldliness achieved in the other collections of Tales. There are other Japanese folklore tales which I feel would have been more fitting and added much needed variety to the selection.

This is perhaps more aimed at younger readers, nevertheless I do feel as though 3 stars are a warranted rating for an introduction to Japan’s interesting folklore.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of lore contains many stories about fairy-folk and monsters, virtuous people who outshine the wicked, and life-changing magic. The last story reminds me a bit of Cinderella, but with a fascinating twist.

[Preethi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kotaro Chiba's illustrations are BEAUTIFUL and I loved these stories! I enjoyed this book even more than the Victorian ghost stories collection.

[Enci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me a while to read but mostly because I didn't wanna rush through the stories. I just read a couple anytime I picked it back up.

It was really fun, the stories varied and were engaging at all times, it was really interesting to be reading folktales from such a different historical and cultural background.

Would 10/10 recommend

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teniendo en cuenta que son cuentos clasicos y muchos vienen de tradición oral, los cuentos estan llenos de magia y maravillas.

[Adam Golden · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5/5★)

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this collection and the artwork is beautiful!

[Kat Ponte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories of old Japan. Full of magic, morals, adventure, and honor - exactly what you’d want from a collection like this. Not to mention the beautiful art that graces each story.

[Zach Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. Easy and quick to read stories. I was expecting a lot of the stories to have to be happy but a lot of them were quite grim.