January 2024 MBR The Mythology Shelf

The Mythology Shelf

The Japanese Yokai Handbook
Masami Kinoshita
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805317280, $14.99, PB, 176pp

https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Yokai-Handbook-Spookiest-Creatures/dp/48053=
17280

Synopsis: The Y kai are a class of supernatural entities and spirits in Jap=
anese folklore. Yokai come in every imaginable shape and form -- from frigh=
tening ghosts and cruel demons to cute fairies and enchanted animals. They =
can be evil monsters, harmless tricksters or prophets of doom, depending on=
 their inclination.

"The Japanese Yokai Handbook: A Guide to the Spookiest Ghosts, Demons, Mons=
ters and Evil Creatures from Japanese Folklore" by Masami Kinoshita profile=
s 100 of the most fascinating Yokai, including: Tengu (A powerful Yokai tha=
t often takes human form with wings and a large nose who lives in mountains=
 and forests); Kappa (A deadly Yokai that lives near rivers and drags passe=
rsby into the water to drown); Peroritaro (A grotesque Yokai that looks lik=
e blubbering child and has an appetite for greedy children); Baku (A monstr=
ous Yokai with an elephant's head, a bear's body, a rhino's eyes, an ox's t=
ail and a tiger's legs that aids humans by devouring their nightmares) -- a=
nd a great many more!

Yokai expert Masami Kinoshita has been documenting Yokai in folklore, and i=
n real life, for many years. "The Japanese Yokai Handbook" presents her mos=
t interesting findings and has over 175 full-color illustrations that vivid=
ly depict the appearances of these weird creatures. No matter their origins=
, each Yokai has a strange and wonderful story that is sure to amaze the we=
stern reader!

Critique: Impressively illustrated, exceptionally informative, thoroughly '=
reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Japanese Yokai Hand=
book: A Guide to the Spookiest Ghosts, Demons, Monsters and Evil Creatures =
from Japanese Folklore" is an original and unreservedly recommended additio=
n to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Japa=
nese Mythology/Folklore collections and supplemental curriculum studies lis=
ts. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general r=
eaders with an interest in the subject that "The Japanese Yokai Handbook: A=
 Guide to the Spookiest Ghosts, Demons, Monsters and Evil Creatures from Ja=
panese Folklore" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.24=
).

Editorial Note: Masami Kinoshita is a Yokai researcher based in Japan. Afte=
r graduating from Nara Women's University she wrote about Yokai on the onli=
ne newspaper "Nara Monster Times" which reports on supernatural beings and =
folklore in Nara. She has written stories on a wide variety of Yokai, rangi=
ng from Oni and Tengu mountain spirits to Suchinoko, a snake-like creature =
that was reportedly encountered several times in the 1970s and 1980s.

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