Japanese myths and legends. Chronicles of Kami and Yōkai – Review

The publishing house NuiNui was born towards the end of 2014, publishing some first illustrated books, then continues its run with titles dedicated to children and teenagers, but not only. In Māori language “nui” it means “great” and from this we understand the breadth and importance of this project which has slowly been expanding: NuiNui currently boasts more than 800 publications, moreover in various languages. Japanese culture is the flagship of their productionand speaking of this we want to talk to you about a book that particularly struck us, with its title Japanese myths and legends. Chronicles of Kami and Yōkaiillustrated by Jo Saladinowritten by Gavin Blair and translated by Mila Fois.

Japanese myths and legends. Chronicles of Kami and Yōkai it is a volume that contains fifteen short stories, each of them accompanied by a simple but evocative illustration that in a certain sense summarizes the content of the single story, depicting one or some of the key characters. It's about self-contained stories, even if some of them contain references to characters encountered in previous or subsequent chapters. Apart from a few connections, therefore, each plot is self-contained and the reader can immerse himself in reading without necessarily following an order, perhaps attracted by a title or a particular drawing. The protagonists are human beingsbut often also animals, spirits (good or evil), legendary and mythological figures, who through their deeds and exploits narrate the events that today form the historical-cultural heritage of a country waiting to be discovered like the one that is the Japan.

As can be seen from the title, the stories are mostly focused on two important figures of Japanese beliefs: i kami they yokai. “Kami” is a Japanese word that indicates objects venerated by the cult Shinto: divinity, gods or spirits supernatural. In some cases, as for example happens in the first story, which contains the legend of the creation of Japan, i kami Izanagi And Izanami they are real divinities, very similar to the Greek and Roman gods. In other cases, however, they represent spirits that dwell within natural objects, landscapes and so on. “Yokai“is instead a word composed of “yo“, which translates as “hex, witchcraft” And “kai“, what does it mean “disturbing manifestation“. The term refers overall to apparitions, ghosts or demons which are sometimes malevolent, causing misfortune and damage, sometimes harmless and indeed bringers of luck. Some yokai They are called “shapeshifter” precisely because of their ability to change appearance, taking on the appearance of an animal or an object, as in the case of tanuki protagonist of the story The magic kettle.

From a certain point of view, Japanese myths and legends recall the fairy tales and fables of the European tradition: they have the length of the composition, basically medium-shortas well as the characteristics of personageswhich I am fantastic and magicalwhile of the latter we find the presence of animals, sometimes anthropomorphized. Another common trait among these popular productions is certainly the ability to to entertain both the young and adult audiences; also, often teaching and morality are around the corner, whether implicit or explicit. In the case of the anthology now analyzed it is worth highlighting that Stories don't always end with a happy endingand this is probably one of the most marked differences compared to Western literature, which tends to “reassure” the reader and re-establish a certain balance at the end (even if there are exceptions).

From a technical point of viewwe find ourselves faced with a excellent editorial product: the volume, which has 176 pages, has a cover made of a sturdy hardback in colorful colours, with shiny silver-coloured Japanese ideograms slightly in relief, all edited by Marinella Debernardi. The book was printed in China on very resistant paper and each page is decorated by different sets of colorful repeating geometric designs; the illustrations are characterized by simple lines and shapesappearing detailed and evocative at the same time. The colors vary from bright to more muted shades.

For what concern value for moneythe cost of the volume is €24.90, which you will probably be willing to pay only if you are a true enthusiasts of Japanese culture and its rich folklore heritage. However, it should be added that currently the NuiNui encourages people to purchase on their website by offering a series of advantages: one 5% discount on the entire catalogue, free shipping and a fabulous gift shoppertherefore it is absolutely worth saving and investing a small nest egg in one or more of their products and being able to enjoy these freebies.