NOTA |
(★)(Monsters, Ghosts, and Outsiders in Japanese History 1.Since ancient times, the Japanese have lived with superstitions of strange presences and phenomena known as´yookai´, creating a culture by turns infused with unease, fear, and divinity.´Tsukimono´spirit possessions. Fearsome´kappa´,´oni´, and´tengu´.´Yamauba´crones. Ghostly´yuurei´. Other-worldly´ijin´... Where did they come from? Why do they remain so popular? Written by Japan´s premier scholar of yokai and strange tales, this book is both an introduction to the rich imagination and spirituality of Japan´s yokai culture and a history of the authors and writings that have shaped yokai studies as a field. 2.Komatsu Kazuhiko, Director-General, International Research Center for Japanese Studies : Folklorist and cultural anthropologist. Born 1947 in Tokyo, he obtained his M.A. from the Tokyo Metropolitan University Graduate School in Social Sciences. Served as Associate professor at Shinshu University, and then Associate Professor and Full Professor in the School of letters at Osaka University. In 1997 he began teaching at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies. In April of 2012 he became the Center´s Director-General after serving as Deputy Director-General since 2010. In 2013 he was awarded the Order of the Purple Ribbon for scholarly achievement by the government of Japan. In 2016, he was further recognized as a Person of Cultural Merit by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. His books include´Kamigami no seishinshi[A Cultural History of the Gods]´,´Hyoorei shinkoo-ron[On Possession Beliefs]´,´Ijin-ron[On Outsiders]´,´Akuryoo-ron[On Evil Spirits]´,´Yookaigaku shinkoo[New Thoughts on Yookai Studies]´,´Izanagi-ryuu no kenkyuu[Research on the Izanagi School]´,´Densetsu wa naze umareta ka[Why Were Legends Born?]´,´Noroi no Nihonjin[Curses and the Japanese]´, and many others.) |