Strawberry Under the Snow. Artist V. Kalinovskiy

The Japanese never confuse the cunning tales of Shikoku island with the instructive stories of Okinawa island, the romantic fantasies of Sado island, or the dynamic, eventful legends of Honshu island. Each Japanese prefecture, city, and even village has its own folkloric world with its characters, plots, and intonations. But no matter how different the Japanese tales are by place of birth, there is something common in them. They are deeply poetic - it is no coincidence that verses are often interwoven into the narrative, and true magic reigns in them - miracles can be found at every turn.