The Fox's Wedding: A Compendium of Japanese Folklore (Yokai)

Throughout history, people have invented supernatural explanations for mysterious phenomena. Strange sounds heard deep in the woods, pebbles falling from the sky, even universal concepts like good and bad luck—all were the work of spirits. Things understood in the modern world, like thunder and lightning, mental illnesses, and infectious disease were equally blamed on demons, ghosts, monsters, and mischievous magical animals. In Japan, one species in particular was frequently blamed for peculiar occurrences: foxes.A fox's wedding is the Japanese term for when rain falls while the sun is shining. It is a sign that somewhere nearby, foxes are holding a wedding ceremony. The rain makes people stay indoors, and the foxes can celebrate their wedding unobserved by human eyes.This compendium of Japan folklore contains over 100 illustrated entries covering ghosts, monsters, spirits, and of course foxes. There are horrific tales of murder ending in supernatural vengeance, adorable animals that you'll want to keep as pets, evil ghosts in search of victims, man-eating beasts, beast-eating men, demon priests, evil trees, haunted chickens, ghostly vegetables, vampires, babies, giants, and more. Each entry is described in detail, including its habitat, diet, origin, and legends based on translations from Japanese texts. Read more