Yokai Monsters | Japanese Folklore & Woodblock Art

In Japanese folklore, monsters are rarely just monsters. They emerge from shadows, inhabit forgotten objects, take animal forms, and give shape to the fears and mysteries of everyday life. Yokai Monsters explores this extraordinary supernatural world through the work of Japan's great masters of woodblock printing.

From strange creatures lurking in forests to spirits hiding in wells and household objects, yokai have occupied the Japanese imagination for centuries. Sometimes terrifying, sometimes mischievous, and often surprisingly humorous, these supernatural beings reflect the beliefs, anxieties, and stories of the societies that created them.

In Yokai Monsters: By the Great Masters of Japanese Woodblock Printing, author Philippe Charlier examines the origins, characteristics, and cultural significance of these fascinating creatures. Drawing on Japanese mythology and historical traditions, he explores how yokai became such an enduring part of Japan's visual culture.

Featuring over 100 illustrations, including historic Japanese woodblock prints by celebrated artists such as Hokusai, Kuniyoshi, Yoshitoshi, Kunisada, and Yoshimori, the book reveals how expressive compositions, imaginative details, and dramatic storytelling brought these creatures to life.

Their influence extends far beyond the nineteenth century. The visual traditions established by these artists continue to resonate through contemporary manga, anime, literature, and Japanese horror cinema.

Inside the world of yokai

Organized thematically, the book explores different families of supernatural beings and the traditions surrounding them.

• Animal spirits: Creatures that transform, deceive, or reveal unexpected supernatural powers.
• Haunted objects: Everyday possessions that acquire mysterious lives of their own.
• Female demons and supernatural figures: Characters shaped by stories of fear, desire, revenge, and transformation.
• Folklore and cultural history: The beliefs, environments, and human experiences behind these extraordinary creations.

Beyond their fascinating stories, the prints reveal how Japanese artists used exaggeration, movement, expression, and composition to give imaginary beings recognizable forms and distinct personalities.

For anyone interested in Japanese art, folklore, illustration, or visual storytelling, this collection offers an opportunity to explore the relationship between traditional mythology and artistic imagination.

A beautifully crafted edition

The book's production is as distinctive as its subject. Presented in a silk-covered hardcover with coloured page edges, Swiss and Japanese tube binding, and decorative ribbon ties, this edition combines traditional inspiration with thoughtful contemporary book design.

With 192 pages and over 100 illustrations, Yokai Monsters offers a rich exploration of Japanese supernatural imagery in a carefully designed volume worth reading, collecting, and returning to.

Book details

• Title: Yokai Monsters: By the Great Masters of Japanese Woodblock Printing
• Binding: Hardcover with silk cover, special binding, coloured edges, and ribbon ties
• Language: English
• Pages: 192
• Illustrations: Over 100 illustrations
• Size: 17.2 × 23.5 × 2.7 cm (6.77 × 9.25 × 1.06 in)