[DeepL Translation - needs review] Iwana Monk, Oni, Ganbari Irimyo, Konnyaku Ghost, Talking Stone, Tantakororin, and Yamahime,
Laughing Man... In fact, your surroundings are full of slightly scary, slightly funny yokai.
A large collection of 100 kinds of yokai from all ages and cultures that you should keep in mind!
The book is full of vivid illustrations, and covers their ecology, habits, favorite foods, and other characteristics.
In addition to the "Secrets of Specters," a special newly wr...
This book may be written for children, but there's nothing childish or simplistic about it. Each of the hundred yokai presented get a two-page spread: a tasteful black and white illustration and a page of concise information that may include legends about the yokai, name explanation, historical references, places where it appears and monuments or temples connected to it. The text isn't dry, but while there's lightness in tone and sometimes a touch of humour, it's very much focused on being as objective and informative as possible. A box at the bottom of each page often contains extra information about related yokai in different places. Sometimes there are even links to museums or festivals of special yokai interest.
In between the yokai presentations there are also short sections that explore the nature of yokai, their classification, even their history. There's also a short question and answer section with some lighter content, like how to avoid them.
There is precious little furigana in the book, about as much as you'd find in any book for grown-ups. Some words like old traditional tools are explained within the text. There are many place names mentioned, and many historical names of people and documents or paintings where yokai appear. All of this makes the text not as easy as one might expect of a children's book. The writing is not hard per se, but the information in it is often dense.
This is not necessarily a book to read in one go, but rather one to dip in every now and then, and possibly reread selectively. I believe I may find myself referring back to it when I want to be reminded of this or that yokai.
A hundred yokai may sound like a lot, but the list isn't nearly exhaustive - you may find you know several yokai that weren't included. There is a second volume, which I believe covers another hundred in exactly the same way.