Ancient Tales in Modern Japan makes available for the first time in English a unique collection of Japanese folk tales. More than half of these tales have never before been translated. Fanny Hagin Mayer, a pioneer Western scholar in the field of Japanese folklore, has selected 347 folk tales from the standard Japanese reference work, the Meii. Ninety early collectors from throughout Japan, among them key figures such as Sasaki Kizen and Iwakura Ichiro, furnished tales for this selection.

This remarkable anthology presents a vivid picture of centuries of Japanese folk culture. Ancient Tales in Modern Japan is an essential work for students of folklore and Japanese culture.