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Yokai Resources


This is where you'll find mostly English-language historical, academic, and cultural resources related to the mythology of Yokai.
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Last Updated: 12/16/2024

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Yokai Websites
General Yokai Books
Scholarly Writings About Yokai
Kitsune-Related Works
Historical Context and Belief Resources
Cultural Resource and Translation Links

Yokai Websites

LinkDescriptions
http://yokai.comMatthew Meyer's online encyclopedia of Yokai. It apparently contains most of the information that is present in his book encyclopedias.
https://shinwagaku.comA resource page dedcated to yokai with academic papers, books, and links to other scholarly English and Japanese sources.
https://academia.issendai.com/fox-japanese.shtmlA page with more resources on the Kitsune, Huli-jing, and Gumiho.

General Yokai Books

TitleDescriptionsAuthorDate of PublicationISBN
KwaidanJapanese ghost stories, often cited by academics.Lufcadio Hearne20181983504300
The Book of Yokai (2nd Ed)An expanded version, I'm looking forward to this!Michael D. Foster20240520403886
Pandemonium and ParadeA historical look at Yokai in Japan.Michael D. Foster20080520253620
Yokai (series)Multivolume set of encyclopedias from the creator of yokai.com.Matthew Meyers2019-Current0985218428, 0985218436, 0985218452, 0985218479, TBA

Scholarly Writings About Yokai

TitleDescriptionsAuthorDate of PublicationReference
     

Note: The Huli-Jing (China) and Gumiho/Kumiho (Korea) are analogous to the Kitsune of Japan, but the specifics of their mythologies and how they are viewed differs between each culture.

TitleDescriptions/NotesAuthor/TranslatorDate of PublicationReference
Kitsune: Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance & HumorLong out of print, but now available freely online here: (Direct Link). This is the book that most people refer to at some point.Kiyoshi Nozaki1961ISBN-10: 1933330341
The Fox and The JewelScholarly yet accessible book on Inari worship in Shinto. Focuses on the development of Inari worship, and their association with Myobu.Karen A. Smyers1998ISBN-10: 0824821025
Far Eastern Fox Lore T. W. Johnson1974https://doi.org/10.2307/1177503
Fire and Femininity: Fox Imagery and Ethical ResponsibilityThis is the only English-language paper I'm aware of that references the work of Hiroko Yoshino, who previously wrote about the associations of kitsune with elemental types from Yin-Yang Philosophy (see below).Yuki Miyamoto2010JSTOR Link
狐―陰陽五行と稲荷信仰 ("Fox - Yin-Yang Five Elements and Inari Faith")A discussion on Taoist elemental associations for kitsune. No English translation available. Appears to be out of print. (Note: The Void (Ku or Mu) element is not discussed in the paper since it's not one of the Taoist elements. You'll find that in the Godai from Japanese Buddhist Philosophy.).Hiroko Yoshino1985ISBN-10 4588203916
The Fox's Wedding: A Compendium of Japanese FolkloreIllustrated Encyclopedia of Yokai with a focus on kitsune. The author is the creator of http://yokai.comMatthew Meyers2022ISBN-10: 0985218479
Glimpses of Unfamiliar JapanThe kitsune-related pages appear to be in volume 1 (though the Tuttle version combines both volumes.)Lufcadio Herne2016ISBN-10: 080484755X
The Rice Goddess and The Fox in Japanese Religion and Folk Practice Opler and Seido Hashima1946JSTOR Link
The Fox's Craft in Japanese Religion and Folklore - Shapeshifters, Transformations, and Duplicities Michael Bathgate2004ISBN-10: 0203484762
The Goblin Fox and Badger and Other Witch Animals of Japan U. A. Casal1959https://doi.org/10.2307/1177429
The Cult of the Fox - Power, Gender, and Popular Religion in Late Imperial and Modern ChinaA scholarly book on fox worship in China.Xiaofei Kang2006ISBN-10 0231133383
Alien Kind: Foxes and Late Imperial Chinese NarrativeExamines the shapeshifting fox in the context of an outsider/alien and transgressor of human boundaries. Several others recommended this book to me as a good general discussion on Chinese fox mythology.Rania Huntington2004ISBN-10 0674010949
Strange Tales from a Chinese StudioA compilation of Chinese ghost stories, many featuring the Huli-Jing.Pu Songling2006ISBN-10: 0140447407
The Catalpa BowA study of Japanese Shamanism that includes a section discussing "Witch Animals" regarding fox-employers, rituals, and tracing the origins of the superstitions of hereditary line possession.Carmen Blacker1975 (1e), 1986 (2e)1873410859, 0-04-398008-2
In Search of The Supernatural: The Written RecordAn English translation of the Sou Shen Chi, a compilation of stories and accounts of strange happenings, including many about shapeshifting foxes in China. This translation may be difficult to acquire. There is another available on Amazon but that translation seemed to be less detailed when I compared some of the text between the two.K. J. DeWoskin, J. I. Crump1996ISBN-10 0804725063
The Discourse on Foxes and GhostsCritical analysis of Zhiguai storytelling during the 18th century that gives context to the fox depictionsLeo Tak-Hung Chan1998ISBN-13 9780824820510

 


Historical Context and Belief Resources

TitleDescriptionsAuthor/TranslatorDate of PublicationReference
The KojikiThe oldest written record in Japan, compiled in 712. It records the Japanese imperial line as well as lineage of the Kami. The Chamberlain translation is the easiest to find translation, and can occasionally be found for ~$30USD on ebay.Basil Chamberlain (transl)2005ISBN: 9780804836753
The KojikiPossibly-better translation without the rending into Latin of the racy parts, but it is exceptionally expensive in print form. It isn't too hard to find on the internet anyway, if you look for it..Donald L. Phillipi2016 (orig.1967)IBSN-10: 0691648905
A Structural Reading of The KojikiAn academic paper giving historical context to the stories and themes present within the Kojiki. It also contextualizes the Nihongi.Matsumura Kazuo2021Direct Link
The Nihongi (Vol.1)Also called The Nihon-Shoki, it was compiled in 720 and is considered to be a more factual account than the Kojiki. (Note: the index for both books is found only in the second volume.)W.G. Aston2013IBSN-10: 1605201448
The Nihongi (Vol.2)This volume contains the index for both books at the end. 2013IBSN-10: 1605201464
Shinto: The Kami WayA good introductory book on Shinto.Sokyo Ono Ph.D2004IBSN-10: 0804835578
Shinto: A HistoryAn comprehensive historical study of Shinto's development and it's socio-political connections.Helen Hardacre2016IBSN-10: 0190621710
Japanese Philosophy: A Source BookA large compilation of essays, aiming to encompass the full range of Japanese philosophical thought.Heisig, Kasulis, Maraldo2011IBSN-10: 0824836189

LinkDescriptions
Nanzan Institute for Religion and CultureNanzan University, they have published numerous English-language scholarly works on Japanese religion.
Fushimi Inari TaishaThe head Inari shrine of Japan