Kaidan Gaskya
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is a Japanese word consisting of two kanji: 怪 (''kai'') meaning "strange, mysterious, rare, or bewitching apparition" and 談 (''dan'') meaning "talk" or "recited narrative".


Overall meaning and usage

In its broadest sense, ''kaidan'' refers to any
ghost story A ghost story is any piece of fiction, or drama, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or characters' belief in them."Ghost Stories" in Margaret Drabble (ed.), ''Oxford Companion to English Literature'' ...
or
horror story Horror is a genre of fiction which is intended to frighten, scare, or disgust. Horror is often divided into the sub-genres of psychological horror and supernatural horror, which is in the realm of speculative fiction. Literary historian J ...
, but it has an old-fashioned ring to it that carries the connotation of Edo period
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese folktales. The term is no longer as widely used in Japanese as it once was:
Japanese horror Japanese horror is horror fiction derived from popular culture in Japan, generally noted for its unique thematic and conventional treatment of the horror genre differing from the traditional Western representation of horror. Japanese horror tends ...
books and films such as '' Ju-on'' and ''
Ring Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
'' would more likely be labeled by the '' katakana'' . ''Kaidan'' is only used if the author/director wishes to specifically bring an old-fashioned air into the story.


Examples of ''kaidan''

*'' Banchō Sarayashiki'' (''The Story of Okiku'') by
Okamoto Kido was a Japanese author. His real name was . His best known work is the Shin Kabuki play Bancho Sarayashiki. Kido was born in the district of Shiba Takanawa, a neighbourhood in Minato Ward, Tōkyō Family Kido’s father, Okamoto Keinosuke ( ...
*''
Yotsuya Kaidan , the story of Oiwa and Tamiya Iemon, is a tale of betrayal, murder and ghostly revenge. Arguably the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time, it has been adapted for film over 30 times and continues to be an influence on Japanese horror ...
'' (''Ghost Story of Tōkaidō Yotsuya'') by
Tsuruya Nanboku IV Tsuruya (鶴屋) can refer to: *Haruhi Suzumiya series character, see Tsuruya *Tsuruya Golf, see Tsuruya Open *Matsuya (department store) Matsuya Co., Ltd. (株式会社松屋) is a Japanese depato, department store in Tokyo. Founded in 1869, it ...
(1755–1829) *''
Botan Dōrō is a Japanese ghost story () and one of the most famous in Japan. The plot involves sex with the dead and the consequences of loving a ghost. It is sometimes known as , based on the kabuki version of the story; this title is commonly used i ...
'' (''The Peony Lantern'') by Asai Ryoi *'' Mimi-nashi Hōichi'' (''Hōichi the Earless'')


''Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai'' and ''kaidanshu''

''Kaidan'' entered the vernacular during the Edo period, when a parlour game called '' Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai'' became popular. This game led to a demand for
ghost stories A ghost story is any piece of fiction, or drama, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or characters' belief in them."Ghost Stories" in Margaret Drabble (ed.), ''Oxford Companion to English Literature''. ...
and folktales to be gathered from all parts of
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
.The popularity of the game, as well as the acquisition of a printing press, led to the creation of a literary genre called ''kaidanshu''. ''Kaidanshu'' were originally based on older Buddhist stories of a
didactic Didacticism is a philosophy that emphasizes instructional and informative qualities in literature, art, and design. In art, design, architecture, and landscape, didacticism is an emerging conceptual approach that is driven by the urgent need to ...
nature, although the moral lessons soon gave way to the demand for strange and gruesome stories.


Examples of ''kaidanshu''

*''Tonoigusa'', called ''Otogi Monogatari'' (''Nursery Tales'') by Ogita Ansei (1660) *''Otogi Boko'' (''Handpuppets'') by Asai Ryoi (1666) *'' Ugetsu Monogatari'' (''Tales of Moonlight and Rain'') by Ueda Akinari (1776)


Background of the romanized translation

The word was popularised in English by
Lafcadio Hearn , born Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (; el, Πατρίκιος Λευκάδιος Χέρν, Patríkios Lefkádios Chérn, Irish language, Irish: Pádraig Lafcadio O'hEarain), was an Irish people, Irish-Greeks, Greek-Japanese people, Japanese writer, t ...
in his book '' Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things''. The spelling ''kwaidan'' is a romanization based on an archaic spelling of the word in kana - Hearn used it since the stories in the book were equally archaic. The revised Hepburn romanization system is spelled kaidan. When film director Masaki Kobayashi made his
anthology film An anthology film (also known as an omnibus film, package film, or portmanteau film) is a single film consisting of several shorter films, each complete in itself and distinguished from the other, though frequently tied together by a single theme ...
'' Kwaidan'' (1964) from Hearn's translated tales, the old spelling was used in the English title.


Plot elements

Originally based on didactic Buddhist tales, kaidan often involve elements of karma, and especially ghostly vengeance for misdeeds. Japanese vengeful ghosts ('' Onryō'') are far more powerful after death than they were in life, and are often people who were particularly powerless in life, such as women and servants. This vengeance is usually specifically targeted against the tormentor, but can sometimes be a general hatred toward all living humans. This untargeted wrath can be seen in ''Furisode'', a story in Hearn's book ''
In Ghostly Japan IN, In or in may refer to: Places * India (country code IN) * Indiana, United States (postal code IN) * Ingolstadt, Germany (license plate code IN) * In, Russia, a town in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast Businesses and organizations * Independ ...
'' about a cursed kimono that kills everyone who wears it. This motif is repeated in the film ''
Ring Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
'' with a videotape that kills all who watch it, and the film franchise '' Ju-on'' with a house that kills all who enter it. Kaidan also frequently involve water as a ghostly element. In Japanese religion, water is a pathway to the underworld as can be seen in the festival of Obon.


See also

* '' Yose'' * Glen Grant *
Japanese horror Japanese horror is horror fiction derived from popular culture in Japan, generally noted for its unique thematic and conventional treatment of the horror genre differing from the traditional Western representation of horror. Japanese horror tends ...
*
Japanese mythology Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Shinto and Buddhist traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. The history of thousands of year ...
* Junji Ito * '' Obake'' * Shigeru Mizuki * '' The Unbelievable'' * '' Yōkai'' * ''
Yūrei are figures in Japanese folklore analogous to the Western model of ghosts. The name consists of two kanji, (''yū''), meaning "faint" or "dim" and (''rei''), meaning "soul" or "spirit". Alternative names include , meaning ruined or depart ...
'' * Aesop's Fables


External links


Ghoul Power - Onryou in the Movies
''Japanzine'' By
Jon Wilks Jon Wilks (born 4 January 1977) is an English writer, folk singer, and guitarist, known for his work in the traditional folk music scene. He has gained recognition for his authentic interpretations of traditional English folk songs, as well as ...

Tales of Ghostly Japan
''Japanzine'' By Zack Davisson

'Mangajin #40'' by Tim Screech
Asian Folklore Studies: The Appeal of Kaidan Tales of the Strange.Information on ''The Kaidan Suite,'' a musical interpretation of kaidan by the Kitsune Ensemble.Hyakumonogatari.com
A website of translated kaidan
TheJapaneseHorror.com
Website with several translated Kaidan {{Authority control Buddhist folklore Japanese folklore * Japanese words and phrases