Early Folklore Studies: Festival Visitor and Spirit

Twelve early essays by Orikuchi Shinobu (the poet Shaku Chokuu), a founder of Japanese folklore studies. They track festival, visiting gods and charms through everyday things: the firemen's matoi, the headband, the festival tower daigaku, the star-festival and the Bon rites, the village customs of Osaka, the wandering ruffian, and the origin of the festival itself.

Orikuchi argues from words to ritual with a boldness that still startles, and the pieces are by turns lecture, field note and fierce speculation. Complete, unabridged, translated directly from the Japanese with endnotes on period terms.

Translated by Valentin Sarić. AI-assisted translation.