Tales of Ancient Japan

«Tales of Ancient Japan» — is not just folk tales, but a monument of literature that captures the spirit of the nation, its worldview, the peculiarities of mythology and way of life. The compiler of the collection, the first Japanese children's writer Sazanami Sanzin (real name — Sueo Iwai, 1870–1933) gathered scattered legends and traditions from various sources and presented them in a language accessible to modern children.

The book, which first introduced the West to the rich world of Japanese tales, features two dozen tales and legends: myths about Japanese deities; historical traditions reflecting the formation and development of the Land of the Rising Sun; «cultural» legends immortalizing the spirit of ancient Nippon, the ethical and religious principles of the Japanese people, their concepts of good and evil, love and honor, life and death. 

This unique book was published in our country in a translation by the famous orientalist V. Mendrina in the early 20th century and for a long time was a bibliographical rarity. We present to your attention the most captivating and original tales from this book, which will be of interest to both middle and older children, as well as numerous adult fans of Japanese culture.

The book is illustrated with Japanese paintings and engravings by such famous artists as Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige, as well as drawings from the original edition of 1908.