Takeshi Umehara

These classic Japanese short stories are masterfully translated and a joy to read.

The medieval period in Japan, spanning the years from about 1200 to 1600, was a time of rapid cultural development that saw the emergence and refinement of many new art forms. One of these was the religious folk tale, or setsuwa, many collections of which were compiled during this time. Like the classic fables and parables of the West, these stories are varied in origin, many of them collected from Indian and Chinese sources and retold and embellished by succeeding generations of authors.

In Lotus: and Other Tales of Medieval Japan, the author has carefully chosen eight particularly notable setsuwa for their timeless interest and fascinating plot developments. These brilliantly crafted tales effortlessly lure the reader into another world where ghosts and demons walk the earth alongside kings and priests, and miracles occur. With their direct and often shocking developments, the stories here will surprise and startle as much as they engage and amuse.

Japanese tales include:

• Heads
• Haseo’s Love
• The Nun Oyo
• A Tale of Luck and Riches
• Lazybones Taro
• Lotus
• How the Gods Came to Kumano
• Sansho Dayu