Bakemono Yashiki (The Haunted House), Retold from the Japanese Originals Tales of the Tokugawa, Volume 2

"Bakemono Yashiki (The Haunted House), Retold from the Japanese Originals" by James S. De Benneville presents a collection of Japanese tales that dives into a world where ghostly encounters blend with everyday life in early Japan. Set against the backdrop of Edo, we are introduced to Rokuzo, a kind servant who starts his journey home contemplating his dry throat and the world around him. His simple act of helping a beautiful, burdened woman leads him to a mysterious mansion where he is well-fed and catered to, but soon finds himself entangled in a bizarre supernatural web. These stories use elements of Japan’s history and social structure to explore themes of the unseen world and cultural practices, creating a world where the strange and spectral are an ever-present part of life.