Japanese Ghost Stories by Lafcadio Hearn

 Japanese Ghost Stories by Lafcadio Hearn | Book Review

 

Hearn's (1850–1904) brief biography, which opens the book, was intriguing and eye-opening in order to comprehend what drew him to these sinister stories. Born in Greece, he grew up in Ireland, was abandoned by all of his parents, and then travelled literally all over the world, including Cincinnati, New Orleans, the French Indies, and finally Japan, where he eventually married a native, obtained naturalisation, and began gathering the myths and legends of the country, translating them into English, and providing the Western world with its first taste of Japanese culture.

I enjoy learning about the myths, folklore, and stories of many cultures the most. Even though this was written by a non-Japanese author, he lived in Japan for a considerable amount of time (until his death), and his works on legends have become so well-known and read in Japan that some of the stories are a little ridiculous or have very strange and abrupt endings. I didn't mind it too much; it only made me laugh. This is probably the way stories like these occasionally go.

The narratives are told in the order in which he translated them. He functions nearly like a presenter in the early stories. He offers his opinions on each story at the end of the story. His function as narrator diminishes in the subsequent stories. Instead, he lets the pieces do the talking.

There is more to this book than just scary tales. In general, it is about Japan's "gods, goblins, and ghosts." The stories will evoke fear and hope, as well as laughter and tears. They are tales from every age and from all parts of Japan. Some are standalone, while others are the result of combining several stories.

Japanese ghost stories are generally quite entertaining, and their supernatural components immerse readers in a realm where malevolent ghosts and spirits are prominent. Each narrative gains emotional depth from Hearn's exquisite prose and his profound respect for Japanese customs. But because of their initial cultural setting, some stories seem unfinished. Their conclusions might be open to interpretation or seem sudden to readers in the present era.