Gods, Spirits, and Yokai of Japanese Mythology

Kitsune, tanuki, bakeneko, onryō, oni... Thanks to Japanese animation, cinema, and video games, stories about these and other supernatural beings from Japanese folklore have gained fame far beyond the Land of the Rising Sun. The frightening heroine of the cult horror film "The Ring" is known even to those who have not watched the film and do not generally like this genre. And Hayao Miyazaki's masterpieces opened to Western audiences the amazing world of Japanese myths with its vivid imagery and complex meanings. This book will introduce the reader to the main gods, spirits, monsters, and other magical beings of Japanese mythology. Stories about them will help to understand the features of Japanese culture and value systems more deeply, as well as provide keys to understanding some plots of Japanese art.