Japanese Ghost Stories

A mysterious snow ghost that visits winter travellers, a priest is haunted by the ancient warriors of the Heiké clan, a lovestruck young man marries a spectral bride, faceless women stalk lonely roads and headless demons prey on unsuspecting monks. These fantastical tales, drawn from folklore and much revered in Japan, are pure spine-tingling gems of the supernatural.<br><br> Yuko Shimizu has provided the illustrations, which draw upon woodblock art and Edo-period picture books, but with a modern twist. Each double-page image is framed in the traditional style, while the story title in Japanese script (beautifully rendered by calligrapher Ai Tatebayashi) runs along the page edge and overleaf. A rokuro-kubi long-necked demon features on the cover and slipcase in vivid colours. Novelist Yōko Ogawa writes in her introduction about the Japanese love of ghost stories and the thread of the supernatural in everyday life.