Kwaidan

My own experience with horror films/stories is pretty limited, most of which are I want to say are western style sensibilities. Jump scares, gore, screaming and a lot of running. Reading the small tales in Kwaidan was not only interesting, but I also enjoyed the slow burn of each story. Giving the reader very little so that it turns on the imagination and trying to see what comes next in the story. I found it to be less horror and more like suspense/thriller with some creepy visual elements, while the end of these stories can be quite severe, I myself did not feel a sense of dread or a feeling that this story will give me nightmares. The Story of Mimi-Nashi-Hoichi was a good intro to the rest of the book, it has a nice historical element that I thought showed pride in their heritage. I also thought it does a nice job introducing the reader to its slowed down contemplative pacing. The descriptions of the surroundings is really nice and I was imagining the various locations quite vividly. It seems like the Japanese take great care to get the reader invested in the setting, specifically nature. The creatures Rokuro-Kubi were particularly interesting, and the method for exterminating was very interesting too. I really do enjoy Japanese monsters, visually they seem unique which adds more to the horror aspect of these stories. The atmospheric nature helps to anchor these tales of supernatural forces, giving the creatures/ghosts more impact when they are revealed.