Kwaidan£º¡¡¡¡Stories¡¡and¡¡Studies¡¡of¡¡Strange¡¡Things
By¡¡Lafcadio¡¡Hearn
A¡¡Note¡¡On¡¡Japanese¡¡Pronunciation
Although¡¡simplified£»¡¡the¡¡following¡¡general¡¡rules¡¡will¡¡help¡¡the¡¡reader
unfamiliar¡¡with¡¡Japanese¡¡to¡¡come¡¡close¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡Japanese¡¡pronunciation¡£
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nearly¡¡¡¨silent¡¨¡¡in¡¡some¡¡environments£»¡¡this¡¡phenomenon¡¡can¡¡be¡¡safely¡¡ignored
for¡¡the¡¡purpose¡¡at¡¡hand¡£
Consonants¡¡roughly¡¡approximate¡¡their¡¡corresponding¡¡sounds¡¡in¡¡English£»
except¡¡for¡¡r£»¡¡which¡¡is¡¡actually¡¡somewhere¡¡between¡¡r¡¡and¡¡l¡¡£¨this¡¡is¡¡why¡¡the
Japanese¡¡have¡¡trouble¡¡distinguishing¡¡between¡¡English¡¡r¡¡and¡¡l£©£»¡¡and¡¡f£»¡¡which
is¡¡much¡¡closer¡¡to¡¡h¡£
The¡¡spelling¡¡¡¨KWAIDAN¡¨¡¡is¡¡based¡¡on¡¡premodern¡¡Japanese¡¡pronunciation£»¡¡when
Hearn¡¡came¡¡to¡¡Japan£»¡¡the¡¡orthography¡¡reflecting¡¡this¡¡pronunciation¡¡was
still¡¡in¡¡use¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡modern¡¡Japanese¡¡the¡¡word¡¡is¡¡pronounced¡¡KAIDAN¡£
KWAIDAN£º¡¡Stories¡¡and¡¡Studies¡¡of¡¡Strange¡¡Things
By¡¡Lafcadio¡¡Hearn
TABLE¡¡OF¡¡CONTENTS
THE¡¡STORY¡¡OF¡¡MIMI¡NASHI¡HOICHI
OSHIDORI
THE¡¡STORY¡¡OF¡¡O¡TEI
UBAZAKURA
DIPLOMACY
OF¡¡A¡¡MIRROR¡¡AND¡¡A¡¡BELL
JIKININKI
MUJINA
ROKURO¡KUBI
A¡¡DEAD¡¡SECRET
YUKI¡ONNA
THE¡¡STORY¡¡OF¡¡AOYAGI
JIU¡ROKU¡ZAKURA
THE¡¡DREAM¡¡OF¡¡AKINOSUKE
RIKI¡BAKA
HI¡MAWARI
HORAI
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡INSECT¡¡STUDIES
BUTTERFLIES
MOSQUITOES
ANTS
INTRODUCTION
The¡¡publication¡¡of¡¡a¡¡new¡¡volume¡¡of¡¡Lafcadio¡¡Hearn's¡¡exquisite¡¡studies¡¡of
Japan¡¡happens£»¡¡by¡¡a¡¡delicate¡¡irony£»¡¡to¡¡fall¡¡in¡¡the¡¡very¡¡month¡¡when¡¡the
world¡¡is¡¡waiting¡¡with¡¡tense¡¡expectation¡¡for¡¡news¡¡of¡¡the¡¡latest¡¡exploits¡¡of
Japanese¡¡battleships¡£¡¡Whatever¡¡the¡¡outcome¡¡of¡¡the¡¡present¡¡struggle¡¡between
Russia¡¡and¡¡Japan£»¡¡its¡¡significance¡¡lies¡¡in¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡a¡¡nation¡¡of¡¡the
East£»¡¡equipped¡¡with¡¡Western¡¡weapons¡¡and¡¡girding¡¡itself¡¡with¡¡Western¡¡energy
of¡¡will£»¡¡is¡¡deliberately¡¡measuring¡¡strength¡¡against¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡great¡¡powers
of¡¡the¡¡Occident¡£¡¡No¡¡one¡¡is¡¡wise¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡forecast¡¡the¡¡results¡¡of¡¡such¡¡a
conflict¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡civilization¡¡of¡¡the¡¡world¡£¡¡The¡¡best¡¡one¡¡can¡¡do¡¡is¡¡to
estimate£»¡¡as¡¡intelligently¡¡as¡¡possible£»¡¡the¡¡national¡¡characteristics¡¡of¡¡the
peoples¡¡engaged£»¡¡basing¡¡one's¡¡hopes¡¡and¡¡fears¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡psychology¡¡of¡¡the
two¡¡races¡¡rather¡¡than¡¡upon¡¡purely¡¡political¡¡and¡¡statistical¡¡studies¡¡of¡¡the
complicated¡¡questions¡¡involved¡¡in¡¡the¡¡present¡¡war¡£¡¡The¡¡Russian¡¡people¡¡have
had¡¡literary¡¡spokesmen¡¡who¡¡for¡¡more¡¡than¡¡a¡¡generation¡¡have¡¡fascinated¡¡the
European¡¡audience¡£¡¡The¡¡Japanese£»¡¡on¡¡the¡¡other¡¡hand£»¡¡have¡¡possessed¡¡no¡¡such
national¡¡and¡¡universally¡¡recognized¡¡figures¡¡as¡¡Turgenieff¡¡or¡¡Tolstoy¡£¡¡They
need¡¡an¡¡interpreter¡£
It¡¡may¡¡be¡¡doubted¡¡whether¡¡any¡¡oriental¡¡race¡¡has¡¡ever¡¡had¡¡an¡¡interpreter
gifted¡¡with¡¡more¡¡perfect¡¡insight¡¡and¡¡sympathy¡¡than¡¡Lafcadio¡¡Hearn¡¡has
brought¡¡to¡¡the¡¡translation¡¡of¡¡Japan¡¡into¡¡our¡¡occidental¡¡speech¡£¡¡His¡¡long
residence¡¡in¡¡that¡¡country£»¡¡his¡¡flexibility¡¡of¡¡mind£»¡¡poetic¡¡imagination£»¡¡and
wonderfully¡¡pellucid¡¡style¡¡have¡¡fitted¡¡him¡¡for¡¡the¡¡most¡¡delicate¡¡of
literary¡¡tasks¡£¡¡Hi¡¡has¡¡seen¡¡marvels£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡has¡¡told¡¡of¡¡them¡¡in¡¡a¡¡marvelous
way¡£¡¡There¡¡is¡¡scarcely¡¡an¡¡aspect¡¡of¡¡contemporary¡¡Japanese¡¡life£»¡¡scarcely¡¡an
element¡¡in¡¡the¡¡social£»¡¡political£»¡¡and¡¡military¡¡questions¡¡involved¡¡in¡¡the
present¡¡conflict¡¡with¡¡Russia¡¡which¡¡is¡¡not¡¡made¡¡clear¡¡in¡¡one¡¡or¡¡another¡¡of
the¡¡books¡¡with¡¡which¡¡he¡¡has¡¡charmed¡¡American¡¡readers¡£
He¡¡characterizes¡¡Kwaidan¡¡as¡¡¡¨stories¡¡and¡¡studies¡¡of¡¡strange¡¡things¡£¡¨¡¡A
hundred¡¡thoughts¡¡suggested¡¡by¡¡the¡¡book¡¡might¡¡be¡¡written¡¡down£»¡¡but¡¡most¡¡of
them¡¡would¡¡begin¡¡and¡¡end¡¡with¡¡this¡¡fact¡¡of¡¡strangeness¡£¡¡To¡¡read¡¡the¡¡very
names¡¡in¡¡the¡¡table¡¡of¡¡contents¡¡is¡¡like¡¡listening¡¡to¡¡a¡¡Buddhist¡¡bell£»¡¡struck
somewhere¡¡far¡¡away¡£¡¡Some¡¡of¡¡his¡¡tales¡¡are¡¡of¡¡the¡¡long¡¡ago£»¡¡and¡¡yet¡¡they
seem¡¡to¡¡illumine¡¡the¡¡very¡¡souls¡¡and¡¡minds¡¡of¡¡the¡¡little¡¡men¡¡who¡¡are¡¡at¡¡this
hour¡¡crowding¡¡the¡¡decks¡¡of¡¡Japan's¡¡armored¡¡cruisers¡£¡¡But¡¡many¡¡of¡¡the
stories¡¡are¡¡about¡¡women¡¡and¡¡children£»¡¡the¡¡lovely¡¡materials¡¡from¡¡which¡¡the
best¡¡fairy¡¡tales¡¡of¡¡the¡¡world¡¡have¡¡been¡¡woven¡£¡¡They¡¡too¡¡are¡¡strange£»¡¡these
Japanese¡¡maidens¡¡and¡¡wives¡¡and¡¡keen¡eyed£»¡¡dark¡haired¡¡girls¡¡and¡¡boys£»¡¡they
are¡¡like¡¡us¡¡and¡¡yet¡¡not¡¡like¡¡us£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡sky¡¡and¡¡the¡¡hills¡¡and¡¡the¡¡flowers
are¡¡all¡¡different¡¡from¡¡our¡£¡¡Yet¡¡by¡¡a¡¡magic¡¡of¡¡which¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Hearn£»¡¡almost¡¡alone
among¡¡contemporary¡¡writers£»¡¡is¡¡the¡¡master£»¡¡in¡¡these¡¡delicate£»¡¡transparent£»
ghostly¡¡sketches¡¡of¡¡a¡¡world¡¡unreal¡¡to¡¡us£»¡¡there¡¡is¡¡a¡¡haunting¡¡sense¡¡of
spiritual¡¡reality¡£
In¡¡a¡¡penetrating¡¡and¡¡beautiful¡¡essay¡¡contributed¡¡to¡¡the¡¡¡¨Atlantic¡¡Monthly¡¨
in¡¡February£»¡¡1903£»¡¡by¡¡Paul¡¡Elmer¡¡More£»¡¡the¡¡secret¡¡of¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Hearn's¡¡magic¡¡is
said¡¡to¡¡lie¡¡in¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡in¡¡his¡¡art¡¡is¡¡found¡¡¡¨the¡¡meeting¡¡of¡¡three
ways¡£¡¨¡¡¡¨To¡¡the¡¡religious¡¡instinct¡¡of¡¡India¡¡¡¡Buddhism¡¡in¡¡particular£»
which¡¡history¡¡has¡¡engrafted¡¡on¡¡the¡¡aesthetic¡¡sense¡¡of¡¡Japan£»¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Hearn
brings¡¡the¡¡interpreting¡¡spirit¡¡of¡¡occidental¡¡science£»¡¡and¡¡these¡¡three
traditions¡¡are¡¡fused¡¡by¡¡the¡¡peculiar¡¡sympathies¡¡of¡¡his¡¡mind¡¡into¡¡one¡¡rich
and¡¡novel¡¡compound£»¡¡a¡¡compound¡¡so¡¡rare¡¡as¡¡to¡¡have¡¡introduced¡¡into
literature¡¡a¡¡psychological¡¡sensation¡¡unknown¡¡before¡£¡¨¡¡Mr¡£¡¡More's¡¡essay
received¡¡the¡¡high¡¡praise¡¡of¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Hearn's¡¡recognition¡¡and¡¡gratitude£»¡¡and¡¡if
it¡¡were¡¡possible¡¡to¡¡reprint¡¡it¡¡here£»¡¡it¡¡would¡¡provide¡¡a¡¡most¡¡suggestive
introduction¡¡to¡¡these¡¡new¡¡stories¡¡of¡¡old¡¡Japan£»¡¡whose¡¡substance¡¡is£»¡¡as¡¡Mr¡£
More¡¡has¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨so¡¡strangely¡¡mingled¡¡together¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡austere¡¡dreams¡¡of
India¡¡and¡¡the¡¡subtle¡¡beauty¡¡of¡¡Japan¡¡and¡¡the¡¡relentless¡¡science¡¡of¡¡Europe¡£¡¨
March£»¡¡1904¡£
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Most¡¡of¡¡the¡¡following¡¡Kwaidan£»¡¡or¡¡Weird¡¡Tales£»¡¡have¡¡been¡¡taken¡¡from¡¡old
Japanese¡¡books£»¡¡such¡¡as¡¡the¡¡Yaso¡Kidan£»¡¡Bukkyo¡Hyakkwa¡Zensho£»
Kokon¡Chomonshu£»¡¡Tama¡Sudare£»¡¡and¡¡Hyaku¡Monogatari¡£¡¡Some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡stories¡¡may
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example£»¡¡is¡¡certainly¡¡from¡¡a¡¡Chinese¡¡source¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡story¡teller£»¡¡in¡¡every
case£»¡¡has¡¡so¡¡recolored¡¡and¡¡reshaped¡¡his¡¡borrowing¡¡as¡¡to¡¡naturalize¡¡it¡£¡£¡£
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Whether¡¡it¡¡has¡¡ever¡¡been¡¡written¡¡in¡¡Japanese¡¡I¡¡do¡¡not¡¡know£»¡¡but¡¡the
extraordinary¡¡belief¡¡which¡¡it¡¡records¡¡used¡¡certainly¡¡to¡¡exist¡¡in¡¡most¡¡parts
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personal¡¡experience£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡wrote¡¡it¡¡down¡¡almost¡¡exactly¡¡as¡¡it¡¡happened£»
changing¡¡only¡¡a¡¡family¡name¡¡mentioned¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Japanese¡¡narrator¡£
L¡£H¡£
Tokyo£»¡¡Japan£»¡¡January¡¡20th£»¡¡1904¡£
KWAIDAN
THE¡¡STORY¡¡OF¡¡MIMI¡NASHI¡HOICHI
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perished¡¡utterly£»¡¡with¡¡their¡¡women¡¡and¡¡children£»¡¡and¡¡their¡¡infant¡¡emperor
likewise¡¡¡¡now¡¡remembered¡¡as¡¡Antoku¡¡Tenno¡£¡¡And¡¡that¡¡sea¡¡and¡¡shore¡¡have
been¡¡haunted¡¡for¡¡seven¡¡hundred¡¡years¡£¡£¡£¡¡Elsewhere¡¡I¡¡told¡¡you¡¡about¡¡the
strange¡¡crabs¡¡found¡¡there£»¡¡called¡¡Heike¡¡crabs£»¡¡which¡¡have¡¡human¡¡faces¡¡on
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dark¡¡nights¡¡thousands¡¡of¡¡ghostly¡¡fires¡¡hover¡¡about¡¡the¡¡beach£»¡¡or¡¡flit¡¡above
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would¡¡rise¡¡about¡¡ships¡¡passing¡¡in¡¡the¡¡night£»¡¡and¡¡try¡¡to¡¡sink¡¡them£»¡¡and¡¡at
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not¡¡found¡¡the¡¡perfect¡¡peace¡£
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famous¡¡chiefly¡¡by¡¡his¡¡recitations¡¡of¡¡the¡¡history¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Heike¡¡and¡¡the
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