Japanese Horror Fiction

In this collection of classic ghost stories from Japan, beautiful princesses turn out to be frogs, paintings come alive, deadly spectral brides haunt the living and a samurai delivers the baby of a Shinto goddess with mystical help. Here are all the phantoms and ghouls of Japanese folklore: 'rokuro-kubi', whose heads separate from their bodies at night; 'jikininki', or flesh-eating goblins; and terrifying faceless 'mujina' who haunt lonely neighbourhoods.

Vampires: murderous creatures in the shape of humans, they stalk the night feeding on the blood of innocents. Seemingly immortal, they can be destroyed only by the use of a stake through the heart, severing of their heads, or exposure to sunlight. By the year AD 12,090, vampires have ruled the Earth for almost 300 years, and it is only these weaknesses that have kept these foul monsters from totally overrunning the world. But what happens when those rules no longer apply?

In Ghostly Japan collects 12 ghostly stories from Lafcadio Hearn, deathless images of ghosts and goblins, touches of folklore and superstition, salted with traditions of the nation. While some of these stories contain nightmare imagery worthy of a midnight creature feature, others are not ghostly or ghastly at all. "Bits of Poetry" offers an engaging study on verse, and "Japanese Buddhist Proverbs" explains the meaning of several aphorisms based on Japanese cultural references.

A Heian-era mansion stands abandoned, its foundations resting on the bones of a bride and its walls packed with the remains of the girls sacrificed to keep her company. It’s the perfect venue for a group of thrill-seeking friends, brought back together to celebrate a wedding. A night of food, drinks, and games quickly spirals into a nightmare as secrets get dragged out and relationships are tested. But the house has secrets too. Lurking in the shadows is the ghost bride with a black smile and a hungry heart.

When a writer fascinated by the macabre is approached by an acquaintance, he finds himself investigating an eerie house for sale in Tokyo. At first, with its bright and spacious interior, it seems the perfect first home. But upon closer inspection, the building’s floor plans reveal a mysterious "dead space” hidden between its walls. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plans with his friend Kurihara, an architect, only to discover more unnerving details throughout.

Amazon Book Description: Explore the Enigmatic World of Japanese Cryptids and Yokai Step into the captivating realm of Japanese folklore and mythology with this comprehensive exploration of yokai and cryptids, from vengeful spirits to mysterious lake monsters. Perfect for fans of supernatural legends, horror enthusiasts, and cryptozoology, this book dives deep into the myths, sightings, and cultural significance of Japan's most intriguing creatures. What You'll Discover: Onryō: The chilling vengeful spirits that inspired modern horror classics like Ringu and Ju-On. Kussie: Japan’s Loch ...

"ALICE CROWLEY'S EROTIC STORIES ALWAYS HAVE SURPRISE ENDINGS!" ~ Hwk "I LOVED THE IMAGINATION OF THIS AUTHOR!" ~ Satisfied Kindle Reader "ALICE CROWLEY IS ONE OF OUR GREATEST LIVING WRITERS!" ~ G. Taylor Jane is a naughty, dirty nurse who works for a plastic surgery clinic in Los Angeles. One day she and her friend Roxy witness a tentacle monster mutant manhandling a lady at the beach, an event which inspires a massive group session where everyone joins in for some exhibition. Later, Jane heads to work and tends to a paranormal patient. Only her patient is no normal man. He has something ...

Based on Japanese literature and foldlore, Kwaidan contains 17 stories. The story of Loichi, the blind biwa player who was called to perform for the dead; of Muso, the journeying priest who encountered a man eating goblin; of the samurai who outwitted the ghost of a dead man. All these plus 14 other spooly tales are included in this collection.

Structured around nine childlike drawings, each holding a disturbing clue, Uketsu invites listeners to piece together the mystery behind each and the over-arching backstory that connects them all. Strange Pictures is the internationally bestselling debut from mystery horror YouTube sensation Uketsu—an enigmatic masked figure who has become one of Japan's most talked about contemporary authors.

“Congratulations, you’ve won the lottery!” shouts the angel Prapura to a formless soul. The soul hasn’t been kicked out of the cycle of rebirth just yet - he’s been given a second chance. He must recall the biggest mistake of his past life while on "homestay" in the body of 14-year-old Makoto Kobayashi. It looks like Makoto doesn’t have a single friend, and his family don’t seem to care about him at all. But as the soul begins to live Makoto’s life on his own terms, he grows closer to the family and the people around him and sees their true colors more clearly.

Patrick Lafcadio Hearn, was an Irish writer known also by the Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo. His book Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things, comprises two parts, the first being the "Kwaidan Proper" and the second, "Insect-Studies", which consists of an essay each on ants, butterflies and mosquitos. According to the author, most of the folk tales and ghost stories in the first part were translated from old Japanese texts. The themes encompass resurrection, sacrifice, magic, and the realm of dreams.

In this gloriously over-the-top tale, Aoyama, a widower who has lived alone with his son ever since his wife died seven years before, finally decides it is time to remarry. Since Aoyama is a bit rusty when it comes to dating, a filmmaker friend proposes that, in order to attract the perfect wife, they do a casting call for a movie they don't intend to produce. As the resumes pile up, only one of the applicants catches Aoyama's attention - Yamasaki Asami - a striking young former ballerina with a mysterious past. But she is a far cry from the innocent young woman he imagines her to be.

地球上の全生命滅亡まで30年……。全地球規模のプロジェクトが始動した!グレースは、真っ白い奇妙な部屋で、たった一人で目を覚ました。

The picturesque coastal town of Florence was known for millennia as a pleasure resort for the Nobility. As retribution for their decadence, the cruel and beautiful vampire inhabitants were "punished," driven out more than a thousand years ago by a solitary traveler in black. Only one—Baron Meinster—refused to leave, only to be thrown to the waves by the mysterious assassin. Summoned to contemporary Florence by Su-in, sister of a murdered village girl, the enigmatic Vampire Hunter D discovers a vampire curse ravaging the town's human inhabitants.

呪霊の誘いから、逃げられない。戻れない。怪異ハンター・はやせ、絶体絶命——累計3万部突破の怪異ハンター・はやせシリーズ最新刊。

ある日、ホームズとワトソンが散歩から帰ると、一台のブルーム型馬車が戸口に停まっていた。トリヴェリアンと名乗る開業医は、自分を開業させてくれた患者兼同居人ブレッシントンに起こっためずらしい出来事を語り始めた。ブレッシントンの部屋に何者かが侵入した痕跡が見つかった。怯えるブレッシントンのためにトレベリアン医師はホームズに事件の真相解明を依頼してきたのである。調査に乗り出すホームズ。ところがその翌朝、ブレシントンが首つり死体で発見される。ホームズは事件現場のほんのわずかな微細な痕跡から、事件当夜、起こった事を克明に演繹してみせる!声優ナレーター・佐々木健、改訳・大久保ゆうのコンビでお届けする、ホームズオーディオブックシリーズ第8弾!

1896年11月19日、ワトソンの旧友ロバート・ファーガソンより手紙が届く。彼の友人に関する依頼であった。ジョン・H・ワトソン(44)シャーロック・ホームズ(42)友人には妻とふたりの子ども、まだ1歳に満たない赤子、そして先妻との子であるジャックがいた。ある日、穏やかで優しいはずの妻がジャックに手を上げる姿を目撃された。さらに恐ろしいことに、実の子の首元に噛みつき血を吸っていたというのだ。捜査依頼を受けたホームズは言う。「吸血鬼など荒唐無稽。そのような犯罪例はない―」ホームズとワトソンは吸血鬼の住む館へと向かう。(1924年1月初出)ストランド・マガジン「シャーロック・ホームズの事件簿」よりFirst published in the Strand Magazine, January 1924

コナン・ドイル自薦第3位の名作!ここに蘇る!踊る人形の暗号をホームズはいかに解読したのか!あなたはこの暗号を解読できるか!?著作権フリーの三上於菟吉訳を、若き翻訳家の大久保ゆうさんが現代語に改訳!朗読は、七色の声を持つ声優ナレーター・佐々木健が、ホームズをワトソンを演じます。また、ゲストに声優ナレーター・平田絵里子さんを迎えています。前作「赤毛連盟」に継ぐ、ホームズシリーズ第2弾! (C)2008青空文庫

「奥様のほうでは、少しも御存じのない男から、突然、このようなぶしつけなお手紙を差し上げます罪を、幾重にもお許しくださいませ――」 美しき閨秀作家・佳子のもとに、一通の分厚い封書が届く。ファンから原稿が送られてきたものと思い封を開けるが、奇妙なことに、原稿用紙には表題はおろか署名すらない。そして、突然「奥様」という呼びかけの言葉で始まっていた。気味悪く思いながらも読み進めていく佳子だったが、そこに書かれていたのは、椅子職人だという男の、驚くべき告白だった……。推理小説、そして怪奇小説の名手として知られる鬼才・江戸川乱歩。2014年に生誕120年を迎えるのを機に、乱歩の短編の中でも随一の知名度を誇る「人間椅子」をオーディオブック化しました。朗読するのは、名優・篠井英介。美しい言葉で描写された仄暗い作品世界を、時に繊細に、時に大胆に表現します。奇抜な設定、そして意表を突く結末をお楽しみください。

20世紀初頭に小説家モーリス・ルブランが発表した短編推理小説。伝説的なフランスの大怪盗、アルセーヌ・ルパンが主人公。変幻自在のルパンが仕組む毎度の手の込んだ演出に人々が翻弄される。富豪スパルミエント大佐の借切った列車が破壊され、綴れ錦の壁布が盗まれた!そしてそれは、アルセーヌ・ルパンの仕業と判明する。ガニマール刑事、ジュズイ氏はルパンを逮捕できるのか!?意表をつく展開が軽快なタッチで描かれた探偵小説です。魅力あるれる怪盗紳士、アルセーヌ・ルパンの活躍をオーディオブックでお楽しみください! (C)2008青空文庫