Tales of Ancient Japan

«Tales of Ancient Japan» — this is not just folklore, but a monument of literature that captures the spirit of the nation, its worldview, the uniqueness of mythology, and the way of life. The compiler of the collection, the first... Japanese children's writer Sazanami Sanzin (real name — Sueo Iwaya, 1870–1933) gathered legends and tales scattered across 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 fairy 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 that immortalized the spirit of ancient Nippon, the ethical and religious principles of the Japanese people, their notions of good and evil, love and honor, life and death. 
This unique book was published in our country in the early 20th century in a translation by the famous orientalist V. Mendrin 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 interesting to both children of middle and older ages 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.