A guide, as you'd probably expect, to the myths of Japan, but not a great one. It blends well the talking about the myth – the introduction is how these stories came about and what they mean, and what even counts as myth in a land of Pokemon and collectors games based on Buddhist characters of legend – and the actual narration of the myth, as seen with the extended chapter regarding all the varied steps in the creation story.

But after that it's a bit of a rum affair, with the next chapter supposedly a guide to the kami of note, but jumping from this topic to that, and even throwing in our human festivals as well. This is a directory as opposed to a retelling or narrative, but one seemingly based on the toss of a dice as opposed to any logical formatting and ordering. We look at some of the more famous stories, and other classical texts, and then get the bestiary of yokai, before going down a ghostly road that leads to more modern urban myths and the way a J-horror lore has been spread worldwide.

Ultimately this seemed too confusing for the absolute layman, such as I, and far too loose and higgledy-piggledy to be a decent reference book for the expert. More than once it seemed too random in its running order, mentioning a term not fully introduced yet, or needlessly splitting one story into two. In the end it relies too much then on its wonderful visual collection of prints, temple photography and artistic interpretations of it all to make it amenable for the average browser. I mean, it does the visuals very well, as I'd only predict from Amber Books, but I might have expected it to be doing a bit more. The half-way house between story collection and encyclopaedia was an ungainly attempt at what I'd thought to be getting.

I have always had an interest in mythology, and this book on Japanese myths was incredibly informative and well written. Highly recommend

This book of Japanese Myths is a comprehensive look at not only the history of eras in Japan, but also the Myths and how they tie into the history of the country.

I thought this book would be a collection of Myths, but it reads more like a textbook. I found this book to be very thorough and educational on the history of Japan itself, and I learned a lot about how the Legends tied in to what was happening during the eras that they were from. The book is broken up into five different chapters: Creation Myths and Cosmology, Kami - Other Spirits and Deities, Heroes and Legends, Mythological Creatures and Objects, and finally Ghosts and Urban Legends. Each of these chapters focuses specifically on that aspect of both the Mythology, as well as the history and everyday life.

I would highly recommend this book for both any home library of someone who loves Mythology, as well as used for a College/University textbook. What a great educational book!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Amber Books Ltd for giving me the chance to read Japanese Myths by Melanie Clegg in exchange for my honest review.

This was a wonderful book, which as an enthusiast about all things regarding japanese culture, I thoroighly enjoyed. An easy read, giving the reader tons of information about Japanese myths, cultural beliefs and insight about dieties, kami, lore and tales hailing from long ago and become the part of legends that form today's Japan's mythology.
One book that i would definetely add to my collection if I wanted to have of Japan's myths and lore close at hand anytime to be able spot them easily in modern day media, such as movies,anime and manga but to always have a part of Japan on my shelves even if I haven't bee there in person yet because of all the beautiful illustrations that are included insisde.

This book had a lot of excellent information, but it was presented in a very dry way. It's more like a textbook than a normal fiction "for fun" book. I love learning about myths from other cultures. So I actually really enjoyed the book. I teach a course on mythology, fairy tales, and folklore.

Unfortunately, I've never dived as deeply into most Asiatic cultures' myths as I have other parts of the world. So this was an interesting and informative read for me. I can't really say that the average joe would enjoy it -- as I said, it's written a bit technical-like -- very textbook-esque.

Still, if you're a serious connoisseur of mythological tales, you'll appreciate it.

This book was very interesting and although the names are often difficult I could manage to read it easily because the writer made it very understandable. I’d love to read the rest someday!

I have learned a lot about Japan and its myths and legends. A lot of commonly known things you usually take for granted now have a backstory. Often times I was surprised by the stories. I thought the writing was done in a good way, because the texts were short but held a lot of information. It was easy to understand.

Curious about myths and other cultures, when I saw this I was so excited to pick this up. I’d be learning about Japanese Myths as well as their culture. This book did exactly that.

Clegg dives into their gods, demons, and ghosts. The reader gets to see how these gods came about and in what ways they mean now in their culture currently. It will also discuss important figures and how they contributed to the myths.

There were a number of tales that helped me connect and explain further what I had seen in various media. It was nice to be able to connect those stories to the myths and legends that Japan has and still has.

Some of the tales were fascinating. Clegg starts with how the islands of Japan were created and who those gods were to some of the more recent myths that had formed. One that really had me captivated was a baseball team being cursed by Colonel Sanders.

The stories were fascinating and I loved learning more about everything, but there were times when the writing felt very academic which if you take your time with it it shouldn’t be as big of a struggle to deal with as it was for me.

If you are interested in myths and Japanese culture, I would recommend this book. Take your time with it. Soak in the stories and the stunning illustrations and dive in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd. for an eARC copy of Japanese Myths by Melanie Clegg.

I thought that this book was wonderfully set up. It had a well written prelude with the difference between myths and legends, not to mention that each story included all forms or discussed the difference between forms of the myths. I also enjoyed that Melanie Clegg began with the two oldest written Japanese myths, which also included art of the stories which was really refreshing.

The book provided information on the temples and how the myths are apart of the Japanese culture, it was a fresh breath of air compared to other layouts of novels which speak of myths. I would pick it up to have a physical copy as there is always more to learn in another read through.

Melanie Clegg’s Japanese Myths: Heroes, Gods, Demons, and Legends is a comprehensive collection that extends beyond Japanese Mythology. Its pages are brimming with photographs, images, and stunning artwork.

The introduction provides extensive information about Japanese history and how the country’s history has shaped Japanese mythology. In the five chapters that follow, Clegg explores creation myths, cosmology, kami, heroes, mythical creatures, urban legends, and more. The text includes a vast collection of Japanese myths written in a succinct manner.

Japanese Myths: Heroes, Gods, Demons, and Legends is an excellent resource for those interested in Japanese history and mythology.

Kind thanks to Melanie Clegg, Amber Books, and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of Japanese Myths.

This was a fascinating and informative read, written in accessible language. I found out a lot about Japanese Myths without any prior knowledge.

The only disadvantage was the fact that the text was not comfortable to read on the phone. I believe the experience would be better with a physical copy.

This was amazing and gorgeous and amazingly researched. I have lived in Japan for a long time and this a perfect way to brush up on the myths without feeling like you are not in the loop

The art works in this book were breathtaking and the only reason that I wanted the book in the first place. This is a great coffee table read.

Grouped by type of myth which was helpful. Especially if you are looking for something specific. Lots of images from old Japan which was neat to see. Well put together and super interesting.

4 stars

Having studied the language and lived in Japan, I really enjoyed reading "Japanese Myths - Heroes, Gods, Demons and Legends" by Melanie Clegg. As the title suggests, the lavishly illustrated book is comprised of five chapters "Creation Myths and Cosmology", "Kami - Other Spirits and Deities", "Heroes and Legends", "Mythological Creatures and Objects", and "Ghosts and Urban Legends".

The 20 page introduction provided an excellent overview of Japanese history and culture. The introduction might be a bit overwhelming to someone that hasn't already studied Japanese history, but amazingly it brought back some of the wonder I felt when I first visited Japan and started learning the culture and language.

The chapter on creation myths also brought back memories of taking classes on Japanese history and literature, and was both a good review and also taught me many episodes that I had not learned before. This was also an interesting chapter. (Well, to be sure, every chapter was interesting!)

The chapter on "Kami - Other Spirits and Deities" was not only informative regarding the various deities in Japan, but very accurately identified how much this belief influences everyday life. Even when living in Japan, it is easy to overlook how many place names, company names, and ideas are based on these various deities. I was surprised to learn that the fox character constantly featured in popular "Inari" shrines in Japan are not in fact the enshrined deity, but rather a companion to the deity.

The many Japanese myths and legends covered in this book are recapped very nicely and are quite enjoyable to read. I think that the retelling is better than the original sources in many cases. And the photographs are vivid and contribute to reader understanding. I absolutely recommend this very readable and entertaining book to anyone interested in learning about the background to Japanese culture.

I thank Melanie Clegg and Amber Books for kindly providing a temporary electronic review copy of this work.

I loved this book from the beginning to the end. Japanese Myths is the perfect book if you want to immerse yourself in Japanese mythology, discover its secrets from the mythical origins of Japan to the most modern urban legends. The continuity of the narrative is well marked and each step is perfectly linked to the previous one. The content is well written and very interesting, enough to provide me with ideas for a personal project. It is a text suitable both for those who simply want to discover Japanese mythology and as a valid addition to a university course. It is definitely a text that I would like to have in a physical edition in my collection. Highly recommended!

I believe that this is my fifth book from Amber Books, each of them a joy to review, well thought-out and gorgeously illustrated. The latest is “Japanese Myths” by Melanie Clegg, stories of “Heroes, Gods, Demons and Legends”. Following the format of many more recent Amber Books, there is much more than just art and pictures, the author introduces many of the stories, traditions, and historical interests of the myths, providing a much richer reading experience. Having visited Japan for the first time earlier this year, it is interesting now to look back and get a deeper understanding of some of the experiences we had on our visit (and once again I read a book that would have been much more helpful before my trip!).

Ms. Clegg starts with the creation myths, introducing us to the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, two of the oldest Japanese texts that combine some historical facts with mythological embellishments that help establish the Japanese royal lineage and right to rule, similar to many other cultures that have emperors/kings. The author does a wonderful job of placing these stories in context, of showing us how the Chinese, Indian, and other Asian culture myths are tied to the Japanese stories, how both Buddhism and Shinto have combined to provide a unique heritage, and also includes Ainu and Ryukyuan stories as part of the history of Japan. We see some of the better-known stories such as Fujin and his brother Raijin (wind and thunder), the laughing buddha, and the moon goddess sprung from a bamboo shoot. But Ms. Clegg also exposes tales that aren’t well known in the West, from ancient history through modern times (including a funny story about a Colonel Sanders statue that would fit right in with American sports curses).

At times the writing seems a bit more clinical and cold, but for most of the book the explanations provide the right balance of summarization and details. The pictures do a great job of complimenting the text, there are also asides that provide a different perspective or interesting trivia. A fine guide for anyone interested in the folklore of Japan.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Amber Books Ltd, Amber Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

A good book for a cursory look at Japanese myths, though I would think Japan's Legends, Myths, and Backstory might be a more appropriate title, as the book also discusses things like the 47 Ronin. What makes this book entertaining is all of the pictures and artwork that the author provides to assist the reader. I also enjoyed the author's addition of both Ryukyuan and Ainu stories, which are often hard to find.

The book would fit well into a middle school or high school library to provide anyone interested in such an overview. I would also recommend that one needs a physical copy. I received the book from Netgalley and had to read it in the Netgalley app. Unfortunately, the Netgalley app does not work well with books that have the amount of artwork this book does. As the individual stories in the book are brief, the author cuts corners in the retelling. However, this does not detract from the presentation and readers can look for in-depth detail elsewhere.

tl;dr Dive into the history and culture of Japan with this book. While I have some nit-picks, and the writing can be a little cold and uneven at times, I did otherwise enjoy the book and found it quite interesting, with wonder side-bits, artworks, photographs, and bios on the real people involved in helping to spread these stories across the globe.

(Just a heads up though, I did find a potential copy-paste bit from a Wikipedia article, which also has incorrect/misleading information.)

Not tl;dr:

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As an avid learner and enthusiast of the Japanese language and culture, when I saw an opportunity to read this book, I definitely had to take it.

Japan, like all countries and cultures, has a rich history of myths and legends. Some based on truths, some perhaps more elaborate, but all fascinating nevertheless.

The book starts with a brief overview of the history of Japan, and includes discussions of the indigenous Ainu and Ryukyuan peoples of which Japan assimilated. (While you typically hear of the Ainu people, I rarely hear of the Ryukyuan people, so that was a pleasant surprise!) The author touches on the good and bad aspects in relation to Japan, its history and influence, as well as covering some modern aspects of Japan's soft power.

While I did enjoy much of the book, the writing style is a little cold, which for the historical informative parts is fine, but when retelling the mythological tales, a little more color and flare would've been appreciated. "This happened, then this happened, and then this happened," gets a little tiring to read, which led me to take quite a few breaks while reading. As other reviewers mentioned, it feels a mix between academic writing and story-telling. (I couldn't help but compare to the YouTube channel Linfamy, who also discusses Japanese history and folklore. His videos include quite a few jokes and internet slang, but that's what makes them so unique and helps make the stories easier to remember and enjoy, at least for me.)

I did find it interesting how much information the author put in about translators and writers, along with artists, all involved in helping to create and spread these stories. Though I can understand that it can make the book feel thematically disjointed, it was not distracting for me. (Actually appreciated, as someone curious about getting into translation myself.) Though what I did find distracting was when sections of text were split in the middle of sentences, for an outlier spread about a side-topic. I felt those 'bonus' pages with extra information could've been saved for more clean areas of separation, or at the end of each chapter. Several times I had to jump back and forth between pages, while having my flow interrupted.

Also, a bit of an extreme nit-pick, but while I do think it's important and interesting to reference the Japanese language in this book, I feel like it gets to be a bit overboard with its references in a way that reminds me of the Western fetishization of Asian cultures. (See: ikigai) This book is certainly not going that far, and I don't mean to imply that, but the instances of, "this word means something like this, but there's more nuance," or random words thrown in that don't add anything of substance or meaning to the surrounding text ("Families gather at their jikka, or main household." <- Was that necessary?) do give me a similar vibe.

And in general, for an audience not familiar with the language, I feel like it could lead to a worse reading experience, as you effectively have to memorize several vocabulary words of a foreign language, as the author substitutes several English words for Japanese ones, and rarely re-explains their meaning. I suppose the intension was to be more immersive? But I don't think it was the right approach if the author was aiming for a general audience. (Which was the vibe I got from the description/how the book was otherwise written.)

With that, I was shocked to read the 'About the Author' to find the author is a J->E translator, when there is a blatant mistranslation in the book? "E-hon simply means 'picture book', but it also refers specifically to a type of woodblock printed, illustrated book published during the Edo period (1603–1868)." My issue is with /specifically/, which, it doesn't. Nowadays it /specifically/ refers to "children's book". If you were to use this word with a Japanese person, the first and main thing they would understand it as is "children's book". This is a minor error, but stood out to me, as someone who is both an artist, and as someone who has had conversations about art with Japanese people, specifically using this word. (Although if I search up the word in English, the first result is a Wikipedia page for it, that almost reads word-for-word. I hope this wasn't used as a source. 😬 "E-hon (絵本, or ehon) is the Japanese term for picture books. It may be applied in the general sense, or may refer specifically to a type of woodblock printed illustrated volume published in the Edo period (1603–1867)." Because that would be a yikes lol.)

So...anyway, that sort of alters my perception of this book now. Um, I'm gonna leave it at 3/5 stars and give the benefit of the doubt that the rest of the book was properly researched. ^^;

Note to author:
-The image of the movie cover of Kimi no Na wa on page 27 is in Korean. I imagine this was intentional, since you're discussing Japan's international popularity, but without a comment noting that it's an example from Korea, it might confuse people.

I always postponed reading the books on myths and finally, I got to read one, so I warmly thank the publishing house and the author for involuntarily fulfilling my wish. Since I have no idea how a book of this kind is presented I let myself be guided by the author’s hand and it was a surprise because the content presented is very detailed and thorough. You can see that the author has carried out the research behind each presented chapter and above all the choice to offer a vast period, from the creation of myths and cosmology to urban legends, allowed her to focus on events and people by making a concise but fulfilling presentation. I was aware of some information because I read it from articles on the internet so having some ideas was much more enjoyable because I was able to add a piece to my baggage of curiosity about this world.
The presence of photos makes the reading light and pleasing to the eyes, but above all gives a vision of some topics that you're reading.
Recommended reading for those who want to read the myths of Japan or just out of curiosity, you never know what you find inside a book. :")

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have never before interracted with japanese mythology, so I found this book to be an excellent introduction in the subject. I liked the chapter division and the categorisation of different types of mythology/folklore; while arbitrary, as all such categorisation systems inevitably are, it was a very useful one, with each chapter naturally leading into the next. I also really liked the accompanying pictures/illustrations.