The Yotsuya Kwaidan or O'Iwa Inari

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About this book

A restless spirit and the fear of revenge shape this retelling of Japanese ghost lore. James S. De Benneville builds the tale around O'Iwa, the Lady of Tamiya, and Iémon, her cruel husband. His preface connects her story with shrines, local traditions, and the streets of old Edo, while considering how guilt can turn ordinary events into signs of a haunting.

The narrative also enters the close quarters of neighborhood life. Chōbei seeks relief from household trouble in a drinking shop, while a seaweed seller follows gossip to a neighbor's home and encounters a frightening scene upstairs. Domestic routines, overheard voices, and communal curiosity bring the supernatural threat into familiar surroundings. Readers interested in Japanese folklore will find both a ghost tale and an account of the beliefs surrounding spirits, household worship, and the places associated with O'Iwa.