Neko No Kai (Edo Kaidan Wo Yomu)

[Machine Translation] Cats are mysterious creatures. That is what cat lovers love. Even in the Edo period, there were people who loved cats. This led to the creation of a variety of cat-related tales of strange happenings. This book introduces the world of cat ghosts in Edo ghost stories from the viewpoints of literature, entertainment history, and folklore, among stories about cats with bizarre behavior. Among the many tales of haunted cats in the Edo period, the famous Nabeshima ghost cat riot is one of the most famous. The original text of "Hizen Saga Nio Jitsuki" and the story of a cat that saves its owner, a beautiful woman (Miura Yujo Usuiun Den) are included, along with their modern translations. In addition, essays from the Edo period, folklore from Japan and Korea, plays and movies related to cats are introduced. This volume is full of Edo ghost stories about cats, including a cat that haunts, a cat that turns into a monster, a cat that helps, and a cat that beckons.

猫は不思議な生き物だ。猫好きにはそれがたまらない。江戸時代にも、猫をこよなく愛する人たちがいた。いきおい、さまざまな猫の怪異の物語が生まれる。奇っ怪な行動をとる猫にまつわる物語のなかから、江戸怪談における猫の怪の世界を、文学・芸能史・民俗学などの視点から選りすぐって紹介する。江戸時代の化け猫話といえば、講談で有名な鍋島の化け猫騒動があるが、いくつもの物語が伝わるなかでその原型と考えられる『肥前佐賀二尾実記』と、飼い主の美女を救う猫の話「三浦遊女薄雲が伝」の原文を現代語訳とともに掲載。そのほか猫にまつわる江戸の随筆、日本や韓国での民間伝承、芝居や映画を紹介する。祟る猫・化ける猫・助ける猫・招く猫etcと、江戸怪談猫づくしの巻。