Strange Tales of the Far Northeast

A girl disappears beside a river, an old tree resists the woodcutter’s axe, and a train races toward another locomotive only to vanish. In the villages and mountains of northeastern Japan, everyday life opens onto a world of powerful deities, uncanny animals, and stories passed from one generation to the next.

Sasaki Kizen preserves these voices with curiosity and affection. His collection ranges from supernatural marriages and hidden religious practices to household spirits, feats of strength, and startling versions of familiar folktales. Alongside the stories, he considers their changing forms and describes long winter days spent listening beside a smoky hearth.

This complete English translation includes the opening poem, all thirteen chapters, author’s notes, appended accounts, and a quoted newspaper report. Translator’s notes explain dialect, historical references, uncertain readings, and conflicting details while preserving the author’s conjectures and the tales’ humor, violence, and mystery. Translated directly from the Japanese. AI-assisted translation.