Vitro Nasu

Lafcadio Hearn was born on 27 June 1850 – and died 26 September 1904, was also known as Koizumi Yakumo (小泉八雲)

Hearn a geographic biography (a great post and many wonderful links from Issa’s Untidy Hut)

Today, Lafcadio Hearn is probably best remembered for his artful adaptation of Japanese folktales and ghost stories, including the collection Kwaidan (full text from google books), subtitled “Stories and Studies of Strange Things.” He certainly was instrumental in the introduction of Japanese culture to the West in the late 19th century.

Illustration of Lafcadio Hearn’s Fairy Tales

Ping Chong Kwaidan here

Alan Sondheim read 12 books by Hearn.

Silent Stars by Andy Warhol was inspired by Hearn’s Miminashi Hoichi

The film Kwaidan was directed by Kobayashi with a great sound work by Toru Takemitsu.

Toru Takemitsu produced over one hundred film scores during his career, working primarily with the masters of the Japanese New Wave. Directors such as Nagisa Oshima, Hiroshi Teshigahara, and Masaki Kobayashi were able to achieve more poetic means of expression thanks in large part to Takemitsu’s searching, unconventional accompaniments. (Harvard film archive)

Stupendous Six parts documentary of Toru’s film works are on youtube – this documentary also serves as a wonderful introduction to Japanese new wave cinemas.

Part I Takemitsu Sound Documentary

From Double Suicide Iwashita Shima as Koharu

Part II (opens with Double Suicide – a terrific score by Takemitsu)

Part III opens with The face of another directed by Teshigahara.

Part IV (The idea of Ma – silent pose is discussed – with director Kobayashi and Donald Richie)
Part V opens with The Human Condition -

Part VI