The Book of the Hakutaku: A Bestiary of Japanese Monsters (Yokai)

Meyer, Matthew

ISBN 10: 0985218452 / ISBN 13: 9780985218454

Published by Matthew Meyer, 2019

About this Item

228 pages. 10.00x7.00x0.54 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0985218452

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Book of the Hakutaku: A Bestiary of ...

Publisher: Matthew Meyer

Publication Date: 2019

Binding: Paperback

Illustrator: Meyer, Matthew

Condition: Brand New

About this title

Synopsis:

Ancient legend tells of an encyclopedia called The Book of the Hakutaku, which was given to the emperor by a magical beast. This book contained information about all the spirits, gods, and demons in the universe. It was lost long ago, but parts of it were copied down. People have been collecting information about the spirit world in supernatural encyclopedias ever since.

Throughout Japan's history, artists have gathered folklore from various sources and bundled them into illustrated, multi-volume encyclopedias. As demand grew, artists looked back into literature and history for inspiration. They copied monsters from ancient Chinese classics, reinterpreting them through a Japanese lens. They even invented new yōkai based on puns and reflecting contemporary societal issues. Today, the tradition of collecting and retelling yōkai stories remains strong.

This bestiary contains over 100 illustrated entries covering a wide variety of Japanese monsters, ghosts, and spirits. Some of them are native to Japan, while others have been incorporated into Japanese folklore from foreign cultures. Each entry is described in detail, including its habitat, diet, origin, and legends based on translations from Japanese texts.

About the Author:

Matthew Meyer is an illustrator and folklorist based in Japan. He received a BFA in illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design in 2005. Ghost stories and folklore have been one of his greatest passions for his whole life. Since 2008 his work has been focused on Japanese folklore, particularly yokai studies. He is known as The Yokai Guy for his work on yokai.com, the online database of Japanese ghosts and monsters.