Most entertaining are his Japanese ghost stories, which give rich insight into the history, culture, and traditions of the Japanese people. Lafcadio Hearn’s works demonstrate sincere love and devotion for Japan. He and his wife had four children, and it has been recorded that he was a loving father and family man. Hearn became a Japanese citizen, took the name Yakumo Koizumi, and taught at the Imperial University for many years. His upbringing had been a lonely one, but he soon found his family when he fell in love with Setzu Koizumi and married her in 1891. In 1890, Hearn found his place in life when he traveled to Japan and became enchanted with Japanese culture, history, language, and folklore. He also spent time translating French literature into English and soon developed his own writing style as well as his own interests in storytelling. He was then sent to the US and began working as a journalist, first in Cincinnati and then in New Orleans. When he was 6 years old, he moved from the Island of Leucos to Ireland and was raised by his Irish great-aunt until the age of 16. Lafcadio Hearn was born in the Greek Ionian Islands on June 27, 1850. Selected Stories from Kwaidan was released on June 14, 2022. Whether you’re in the mood for phantoms, demons, ghouls, or ghosts, these otherworldly tales will haunt you long after you’ve finished reading. These classic tales celebrating Japanese culture are far different from our modern-day horror stories.

And a group of rokurokubi plot to end the life of a noble samurai. A nurse offers the ultimate sacrifice for her young charge. A maiden reincarnates to search for her beloved. Lafcadio Hearn’s ghost stories have become a fixture in the world of Japanese lore and superstition, offering us an eerie taste of what goes bump in the night.Ī blind performer plays for an audience of ghosts. Ghostly brides returning for their lovers. In this classic volume, you’ll find tales that are hauntingly lyrical and complex. In 1924, Lafcadio Hearn took his love of culture and myth and introduced us to the world of Japanese folklore with Kwaidan, his own collection of ghost stories.

Japanese ghost stories lafcadio hearn