Product Description

This handsomely illustrated book includes myths of gods, heroes and warriors; legends of Buddha, Benten and Daikoku; tales of the sea and of Mount Fuji; accounts of superstitions and supernatural beings; and much more. 32 full-page illustrations offer compelling images of Buddha and the Dragon, A Kakemono Ghost, The Jellyfish and the Monkey, The Firefly Battle, Tokoyo and the Sea Serpent and other subjects of these enthralling myths. 32 plates. Many useful appendixes. Index. Bibliography.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #481720 in Books
• Published on: 1992-03-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Customer Reviews

Tales of Olde from a Hidden Country
When this book was written, in 1913, Japan was still a country shrouded in mystery. Mathew Perry and his Black Ships had forced the treaty in 1858, an event that was still very much in living memory. Lafcadio Hearn had published his books on ghostly Japan only a few years earlier, and information was slowly pouring in to a hungry public.

F. Hadland Davis pulled from Hearn's works, from Basil Chamberlain's "Things Japanese," from various translations of the Kojiki and the Nihongi, and from all of the new research available to create a single volume detailing the "Myths and Legends of Japan." He did an amazing job, and this is really an astoundingly comprehensive volume, with creation myths, magical creatures, ghost stories, Buddhist lessons and everything else under heaven. Davis has categorized the stories in an interesting and romantic way, such as "Concerning Tea" and "Dolls and Butterflies." All 31 categories have about four or five stories apiece, giving you an idea of how many gems are in the book.

The writing style of the book is very old fashioned, and people unaccustomed to a more scholarly style might find it a bit thick. Hadland often sumarizes the tales, rather than giving them a storytelling flair. The focus of the book is educational over entertaiment, introducing the myths and legends of an unknown country to his readers. Also included is a glossary and index, to help in the absorbtion of the many, many tales.

Writing aside, the biggest shame of this edition is the illustrations. While lovely, they have been reproduced in black and white instead of the original color plates. I know it keeps the costs down on a book almost 100 years old, but the original images must have been something to see!

Myths and Legends of Japan Review
I found this book to be a well of information. I loved this book tremendously. I originally used it for a project on myths and legends in japan but as I discovered more about this topic (which this book had helped to release) I became more and more fascinated with the subject. This book revealed many myths and legends in depth than you can find in or on many resources (especially over the internet). I highly recommend this book for the readers enjoyment and information.

I wish I had found this sooner!
This book is exactly what I had been looking for to quench my thirst for knowledge of Japanese mythology. Each of the 31 chapters covers a different subject and does so very well. My favorite chapters were: V. Fox Legends, IX. Legends of Mount Fuji, XXII. Animal Legends, XXIII. Bird and Insect Legends, XXVII. Legends of the Sea, XXVIII. Superstitions, and XXIX. Supernatural Beings. I highly recommend this to the mythology buff as well as the casual reader looking for something interesting to read.