Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things

This 1904 edition of Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things by Lafcadio Hearn collects Japanese supernatural tales and natural history studies. The introduction (dated March 1904) contextualizes Hearn's work as interpretation of Japanese culture during the Russo-Japanese War, noting his synthesis of Buddhist philosophy, Japanese aesthetics, and Western science.

The volume contains eighteen stories sourced from classical Japanese texts, plus three insect studies. Stories include "The Story of Mimi-Nashi-Hoichi" (concerning a blind musician summoned by supernatural forces near a battle site), "Yuki-Onna" (drawn from oral legend), "The Dream of Akinosuke" (from Chinese sources), "Rokuro-Kubi," "Jikininki," and others exploring ghosts, supernatural women, and strange phenomena. The section on insects examines butterflies, mosquitoes, and ants. Two illustrations by Japanese artist Keishu Takenouchi accompany the text.