Japanese Folk Horror: Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn (Sleep Story Audiobook)

Описание: Tonight, The Old Ink Society travels east to the snow-covered mountains and forgotten shrines of Meiji-era Japan. We are opening the archives of Lafcadio Hearn, the 19th-century scholar who dedicated his life to preserving the "strange things" and spiritual folklore of his adopted home.

Kwaidan (1904) is a masterpiece of the uncanny—a collection of whispers from a world where the veil between the living and the dead is as thin as rice paper. From the faceless terrors on a lonely road to the tragic performance of a blind musician for a ghostly court, these tales offer a window into a vanished era.

This is a full, immersive narration read softly by Lady S. Ashcroft, designed for deep reflection, late-night study, or a restful journey into sleep.

🕯️ Narration: Lady S. Ashcroft
🏮 Adaptation: The Old Ink Society
📖 Source: Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things (1904)

📜 Featured Stories & Timestamps:
00:00 — Intro by Lady S. Ashcroft

00:55 — YUKI-ONNA (The Snow Woman) During a fierce blizzard, a young woodcutter named Minokichi witnesses a terrifying supernatural being freeze his elderly companion to death. She spares his life on the condition that he never speaks of the encounter. Years later, a mysterious, beautiful woman enters his life, leading to a tragic revelation of a broken promise.

11:42 — THE STORY OF MIMI-NASHI-HŌÏCHI (Hoichi the Earless) Hōïchi, a blind master of the biwa (lute), is famed for his soul-stirring rendition of the tragic Battle of Dan-no-ura. He is summoned by a mysterious samurai to perform for a noble assembly, unaware he is playing for the vengeful ghosts of the long-dead Heike clan. To protect him, a priest paints holy sutras all over his body—forgetting only his ears.

36:44— JIKININKI (The Corpse-Eating Ghouls) A traveling Zen priest named Musō seeks shelter in a remote mountain village. He discovers a dark local custom: whenever someone dies, the inhabitants flee before midnight. Left alone with a corpse, Musō witnesses a monstrous "Jikininki"—a spirit cursed by greed in a past life to devour the flesh of the dead.

49:02 — MUJINA On a lonely road in Tokyo, a man encounters a weeping woman. When he tries to comfort her, she reveals a horrifying secret: she is a "Noppera-bo," a spirit with a completely featureless face, smooth as an egg. This short, chilling tale offers one of the most famous "shock" reveals in Japanese folklore.

53:41 — ROKURO-KUBI A wandering samurai finds shelter with a group of seemingly hospitable mountain dwellers. During the night, he discovers their terrifying true nature: they are Rokuro-Kubi, beings whose heads detach from their bodies to hunt for human flesh. He must use all his martial skill to survive the onslaught of the flying heads.

01:19:45 — Outro & Sleep Ambiance

About The Old Ink Society: We are a sanctuary for those who find comfort in the elegant and the unsettling. Our archives preserve the "gentle dread" of the past, offering a candlelit space for reflection and deep rest.
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