Old Tales of Japan

by Yuri Yasuda

This revised edition of Old Tales of Japan is the first published in one volume, with all the beauty and charm only the originals have, yet translated into English and illustrated with 98 full color plates. The book is a collection of twelve traditional Japanese folk tales, legends, and fairy tales for children. They reveal the traditions and customs, and the aspirations and innermost feelings, of the Japanese.

The stories The Story of Shitakirisuzume (The Tongue-cut Sparrow); The Story of Nezumi No Yomeiri (The Marriage of a Mouse); The Story of Urashima Taro (The Fisherman and the Tortoise), The Story of Kintaro (The Strong Boy), The Story of Sarukani Kassen (The Monkey-and-Crab Fight), The Story of Kaguyahime (The Luminous Princess), The Story of Momotaro (The Peach Boy), The Story of Kachikachiyama (The Kachi Kachi Mountain), The Story of Hanasaka Jijii (The Old Man Who Made Trees Blossom), The Story of Kobutori Jisan (The Old Men with Wens), The Story of Bunbuku Chagama (The Lucky Cauldron), and The Story of Issunboshi (The One-Inch Boy).

Genres: Mythology

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1956

Reviews

[Andrew]

A personal favorite book from childhood, the stories and illustrations.

[Eric Hinkle]

Nice collection of Japanese folk tales. It's interesting how much these tales differ from typical Western folk tales.

What makes this particular book special is her grasp of English and her way of telling the stories. Just as good, the 90 or so full-color drawings are fabulous! Beautiful and colorful - I wanted to cut out some of them and hang them up somewhere.

While reading, I noticed that one of the tales has recently been made into an amazing Studio Ghibli movie called The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (here called "The Luminous Princess").

I think I would have loved to read this book as a kid.

[Avery]

Review here.