Mythologis
Japanese Mythology and Yokai: The Complete Guide to Amaterasu, Susanoo, Yokai, Kami, and the Sacred Stories of Japan

Japanese Mythology

Japanese Mythology and Yokai: The Complete Guide to Amaterasu, Susanoo, Yokai, Kami, and the Sacred Stories of Japan

Amaterasu, Susanoo, Yokai, Kami, and the Sacred Stories of Japan

The Kojiki, the Nihon Shoki, and the bestiaries of Toriyama Sekien. Every kami, every yokai, every ghost story.

135 pagesPDFEnglishMythologis Library

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Inside this book

What you will read

  • 11 chapters, primary sources
  • Instant PDF download
  • Original ink illustrations
  • Inline citations to the Kojiki, Nihon Shoki, Toriyama Sekien
  • Designed for print quality
See all chapters  +
  1. 01The Land of Eight Million Gods
  2. 02Izanagi and Izanami, the Creation
  3. 03Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess
  4. 04Susanoo, the Storm
  5. 05Tsukuyomi, Yamato Takeru, and the Imperial Line
  6. 06Shinto: Kami in Every Stone and Stream
  7. 07The Buddhist Overlay and the Six Paths
  8. 08Yokai: from Oni to Tengu
  9. 09Kitsune, the Nine-Tailed Fox
  10. 10Yurei: the Restless Dead
  11. 11How Japan Kept Its Gods in the Modern World

About this book

About this Japanese mythology guide

The mythology where the gods never left. Amaterasu, Susanoo, the yokai, and a thousand years of Japanese sacred stories.

In Japan the gods never left. They live in the mountains and the rivers, in old swords and well-loved teapots, in the foxes that gather at country shrines after dark. Amaterasu the sun goddess hid in a cave and the world went dark. Susanoo the storm broke the loom of heaven. And every village kept stories of the yokai, the spirits and monsters that prowl the edge of the lantern light.

This is the complete guide to Japanese mythology and yokai folklore, drawn from the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, from the Heian-period Konjaku Monogatari, and from the eighteenth-century bestiaries of Toriyama Sekien. Every kami, every yokai, every ghost story, told in the voice of someone who reads the source texts and trusts you to keep up.

You will finish this book having both DREAMED and LEARNED.

What you will discover inside

  • How Amaterasu hid in a cave and the trick that brought her back
  • Susanoo's exile and his battle with the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi
  • The yokai bestiary: oni, tengu, kappa, and the things in the dark
  • Kitsune, the nine-tailed fox, and the foxes that gather at country shrines
  • How Shinto and Buddhism layered onto each other without erasing either
  • Why Japan's gods still feel alive in everyday objects

Japanese mythology book at a glance

TraditionJapanese mythology
Chapters11 chapters
Length135 pages
SourcesDrawn from the primary sources, cited inline
Reading levelBeginner-friendly. Every name and place is explained from scratch
FormatPrint-quality PDF
DeliveryInstant download

Formats and editions

EditionWhat you getPrice
Instant PDFPrint-quality download, readable on any device. Instant download.$7.99
PaperbackA paperback edition is on the way. Sign up on this page to hear when it lands on Amazon.Coming soon

About the author

Guillaume Henry, founder of Mythologis

Guillaume Henry

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Mythologis

Guillaume Henry founded Mythologis to make the world's mythologies readable without losing what makes them strange.

More about the author

Keep exploring Japanese mythology

Prefer to read before you buy? These free, fully sourced guides cover the same gods, myths and sources you will meet in the book.

Read the complete Japanese mythology guide

Questions about the Japanese mythology book

When will I receive my PDF?

Instantly. Your download link appears on the confirmation page and arrives in your inbox.

Is this book based on primary sources?

Yes. Every chapter cites the Kojiki (712 CE), the Nihon Shoki (720 CE), the Konjaku Monogatari, and the yokai bestiaries of Toriyama Sekien (Gazu Hyakki Yagyo, 1776), with references to the standard published translations.

How long is the book?

Eleven chapters, around 135 pages.

Is this book for beginners or specialists?

Beginners welcome. Every name is explained from scratch.

Will there be a paperback on Amazon?

Yes, available on Amazon. The PDF is the same content.

What formats is this book available in?

Every title is available as an instant PDF, downloaded the moment you buy it: the link appears on the confirmation page and lands in your inbox. Selected titles also have a paperback edition on Amazon. Where the paperback is not out yet, you can sign up to be notified the day it does.

What is the return policy?

The PDF is delivered instantly by Mythologis. If a download ever fails or a file looks wrong, get in touch and we will make it right. Paperbacks bought on Amazon are handled under Amazon's own returns and refund policy.

Can I order from outside the United States?

Yes. The PDF is a digital download, so it works instantly anywhere in the world, with nothing to ship. Where a paperback edition exists, it is sold across Amazon's international marketplaces, with shipping rates and delivery times depending on your country.

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