Legends and Tales of Ancient Japan

The book is a collection of unique tales and legends of Ancient Japan. In them, fearsome mikado and thousand-year-old fox shapeshifters come to life, while from the mythically steeped Mount Fuji rise beautiful maidens into the sky. The translation of these ancient tales into Russian was done by the renowned researcher of Japanese literature Vera Nikolaevna Markova (1907–1995). The texts are adorned with colorful illustrations by the talented Russian artist Alexandra Olegovna Ponomareva (1984).

Japanese folklore impresses with its diversity. It features astonishing creatures. Ancient legends and whimsical fairy tales tell of all-powerful gods, enchanting celestial fairies, winged tengu, and mischievous spirits. This is how the people who inhabited this wonderful country centuries ago imagined the world. At the same time, Japanese legends also include descriptions of unique traditional festivals, such as Setsubun, the festival of the last day of winter, or Bon, the festival of honoring the deceased. The myths reflect ancient rituals, the way of life, and the beliefs of many generations of the Japanese people. This edition collects over one hundred and fifty unique legends and tales of Ancient Japan. Filled with original beauty, sometimes romantic and sometimes frightening, they expose human vices and teach one to look into the essence of things. Proud samurai resolve disputes in them, temple students compose tanka, elegant palaces guard magical secrets, and otherworldly beings with smooth spheres instead of faces wander through villages. The wonderful translation of these tales and legends by Vera Markova helps the reader to touch the culture of old Japan.

Vera Nikolaevna Markova (1907–1995) is a Russian poetess, translator, researcher of Japanese literature, and outstanding philologist specializing in Japan. Vera Nikolaevna was born in Minsk in an engineer's family. In 1931, she graduated from the Japanese department of the Eastern Faculty of Leningrad University, and after the Great Patriotic War, she moved to Moscow. Markova mainly translated Japanese texts: works of the Middle Ages, the poetry of Saigyo, novellas by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, and many other masterpieces of literature. Her translations were so good that they brought Vera Nikolaevna wide fame and awakened interest in Japanese culture among Soviet writers and composers. In 1993, Vera Markova received the Order of the Sacred Treasure – an award given by the Japanese government for exceptional services to Japan.

Detailed color illustrations for the tales and legends of this collection were created by Russian artist Alexandra Olegovna Ponomareva. Alexandra Olegovna was born in Moscow in 1984. She graduated from the Moscow State University of Printing Arts and soon became a member of the Moscow Union of Artists. Ponomareva collaborates with many publishing houses. Her illustrations adorn books and magazines. The artist's works are held in museum collections and private collections.