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Overview
Overview
From the mists of prehistory to the present day, Japan has always had stories of fantastic monsters. There are women with extra mouths in the backs of their heads, water goblins whose favorite food is inside the human anus, elephant-dragons which feed solely on bad dreams, baby zombies, talking foxes, fire-breathing chickens, animated blobs of rotten flesh that run about the streets at night, and of course the dreaded night parade of one hundred demons-when all of the yokai leave their homes and parade through the streets of Japan in one massive spectacle of utter pandemonium.
What are yokai? Put simply, they are the supernatural creatures of Japanese folklore. The word literally means "bewitching" and "strange." It encompasses monsters, demons, gods, ghosts, magical animals, transformed humans, urban legends, and strange phenomena. It is a broad and vague term. Nothing exists in the English language that quite captures the essence of yokai.
This field guide contains over 100 illustrated entries covering a wide variety of Japanese yokai. Each yokai is described in detail, including its habitat, diet, origin, and legends based on translations from centuries-old Japanese texts.
What are yokai? Put simply, they are the supernatural creatures of Japanese folklore. The word literally means "bewitching" and "strange." It encompasses monsters, demons, gods, ghosts, magical animals, transformed humans, urban legends, and strange phenomena. It is a broad and vague term. Nothing exists in the English language that quite captures the essence of yokai.
This field guide contains over 100 illustrated entries covering a wide variety of Japanese yokai. Each yokai is described in detail, including its habitat, diet, origin, and legends based on translations from centuries-old Japanese texts.
- Format: Trade Paperback
- Author: Meyer, Matthew
- ISBN: 9780985218423
- Condition: Used
- Dimensions: 10.00 x 0.59
- Number Of Pages: 226
- Publication Year: 2015
Language:
English
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Beautiful
Michael M. - 6 years agoBeautifully illustrated and detailed descriptions of yokai, including regional name variants, habitat, and diet. A must have for any interested in Japanese mythology for any reason.
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A Colorful, Grotesque, Wonderful Parade of Japan's Countless Monsters and Spirits
Nathan S. - 6 years 2 months agoI have a deep fascination with all sorts of creatures, both real and mythical, and I especially enjoy learning about Japan's many different legendary youkai monsters. Some are friendly, some are vile, and some are just outright bizarre, but each one has its own intriguing legends and stories. Which is why I'm so happy to own The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons by Matthew Meyer. The result of what started as an online "A-Yokai-A-Day" project covering different Japanese monsters, it evolved into a full-fledged, illustrated guide to the many different youkai that call Japan home. The dedication put into this self-published book is impressive, and you can tell that this was a genuine labor of love. I appreciate the sheer diversity of the different yokai explored in the book. We get well-known kinds like Tengu, Kitsune, Kappa, Oni, etc., but there are plenty of other, rarer monsters as well, some of which are only found in small regions across Japan. For instance, the Abura Sumashi - a shriveled humanoid wandering the snow - is only found in the Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan. My favorite is the Nozuchi, which looks like the goofy, giant crossbreed of a fuzzy caterpillar and a snake. Something else to appreciate about the book is its rich understanding of Japanese culture and language. Often, when explaining the potential origins of yokai, we'll learn about important parts of ancient Japanese life, and how the challenges they faced influenced the kinds of monsters envisioned. Often the very names of youkai will tie in with their lore, so it's especially helpful that we get translations for the names, as well as tips on the language. The vivid illustrations, created using free and open source software, are beautiful pieces of art that elegantly capture the forms of the youkai while also creating amazing backdrops, from beaches lit up by the sun to vast rice fields and forested, summery mountains. I like how they keep the sort of traditional style of classical Japanese art. All-in-all, it's a brilliant tribute to Japanese monster folklore, and I look forward to more dives into Japan's diverse supernatural lore with Meyer. #SummerReading