Japandemonium Illustrated-Toriyama Sekien (epub) torrent

Japandemonium Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopedias of Toriyama Sekien


By Toriyama Sekien

Translated by Hiroko Yoda, Matt Alt

Published by Dover Publications in 2017

English, 336 pages




First English publication of all four of Sekien's masterworks: The Illustrated Demons' Night Parade, More Illustrated Demons from Past and Present, Even More Demons from Past and Present, and An Idle Horde of Things.

Japanese folklore abounds with bizarre creatures collectively referred to as the yokai ― the ancestors of the monsters populating Japanese film, literature, manga, and anime. Artist Toriyama Sekien (1712–88) was the first to compile illustrated encyclopedias detailing the appearances and habits of these creepy-crawlies from myth and folklore. Ever since their debut over two centuries ago, the encyclopedias have inspired generations of Japanese artists. Japandemonium Illustrated represents the very first time they have ever been available in English.

This historically groundbreaking compilation includes complete translations of all four of Sekien's yokai masterworks: the 1776 Gazu Hyakki Yagyō (The Illustrated Demon Horde's Night Parade), the 1779 Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki (The Illustrated Demon Horde from Past and Present, Continued), the 1781 Konjaku Hyakki Shū (More of the Demon Horde from Past and Present), and the 1784 Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro (A Horde of Haunted Housewares).

The collection is complemented by a detailed introduction and helpful annotations for modern-day readers