Bakemono Yashiki (The Haunted House), Retold from the Japanese Originals: Tales of the Tokugawa, Volume 2

"Bakemono Yashiki (The Haunted House), Retold from the Japanese Originals" by James S. De Benneville is a collection of supernatural tales that draw from Japanese folklore, likely composed during the early 20th century. It explores the eerie and the supernatural within the setting of Edo, entwining historical elements with themes of ghostly apparitions, societal hierarchy, and cultural practices. Core characters include Rokuzo, a good-natured servant, and Aoyama Shu[u]zen, who navigate the complexities of their world interlaced with dark and unsettling supernatural happenings. At the start of the book, the narrative introduces Rokuzo, a servant who contemplates his day as he travels home, reflecting on his thirst and social environment. He encounters a beautiful young woman struggling with a heavy burden, which he gallantly offers to help carry. This eventually leads him to a lavish residence where he is treated well, indulged in wine and food, but finds himself caught in a confusing and surreal situation marked by the supernatural. The beginning sets the tone for a world where the boundary between the mundane and the spectral is thin, inviting readers into tales that blend everyday life with Japan's rich tradition of ghost stories.