Kottō

About this book

A man visits the dwelling of a strange being; an old story returns in an unexpected guise. Lafcadio Hearn finds supernatural unease in brief encounters, domestic objects and the stories people tell about the dead.

The title refers to curios, fitting a collection that gathers tales, sketches and observations like unusual objects from a cabinet. Some pieces are traditional ghost stories, while others explore Buddhist ideas, insects and ordinary Japanese life. Hearn has an instinct for ending a narrative at the point where explanation would diminish it. The lingering uncertainty is part of the pleasure.