Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn

Description

Kwaidan is a book by Lafcadio Hearn, first published in 1904. This haunting collection of Japanese ghost stories and supernatural tales draws from traditional folklore, Buddhist legends, and oral storytelling traditions, offering a vivid glimpse into the spiritual imagination of old Japan. Written during Hearn’s years living in Japan, the book not only preserves eerie and poetic tales of spirits, yōkai, and the afterlife, but also reflects the author's deep reverence for Japanese culture and aesthetics. Each story captures a sense of otherworldliness and moral depth, blending horror with quiet beauty. Hearn’s sensitive and literary approach helped introduce Japanese folklore to Western audiences at a time when such material was little known outside Japan, and Kwaidan remains an influential work in both literary and cultural circles, inspiring adaptations in film, art, and literature.

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