Collection of strange chitchat stories

Japanese: 奇異雑談集 - きいぞうだんしゅう

A collection of ghost stories from the early Edo period. Published in 1687 (Jokyo 4). Six volumes. It dates back to around 1573 (Tensho 1). According to the preface, it was compiled by the son of Nakamura Buzen-no-kami, who served the Sasaki clan of Goshu, and includes 30 ghost stories from various provinces and four stories from China's "Sentou Shinwa." There are other collections of ghost stories written in kana such as "Otogi Monogatari," "Inkago Monogatari," and "Otogi Maid," but if this collection predates these, it should be said to be the beginning of supernatural stories from the Edo period. It contains many strange stories, such as the ghost of a foot soldier killed in Echigo who meets a traveler, a monk who suddenly becomes a woman, and a woman with a mouth above her head.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

江戸初期の怪談集。1687年(貞享4)刊。6巻。成立は古く，1573年(天正1)ころか。序文によれば，江州佐々木氏に仕えた中村豊前守の子が編集したとあり，諸国の怪談30話，中国の《剪灯（せんとう）新話》等から4話を集めている。怪談集は仮名草子に《お伽物語》《因果物語》《御伽婢子（ぼうこ）》などがあるが，成立がそれらより古いとなれば，江戸時代怪異小説のはしりとも言うべきであろう。越中で殺された足軽の亡霊が旅人に会う話，僧がにわかに女となる話，頭上に口がある女の話など奇談が多い。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Kii Continued Topography - Kii Continued Topography

>>: Kii Channel