Kyoka Izumi (1873–1939)

As the title indicates, these tales reveal themselves through the atmosphere of Izumi's writing. It is masterful. The landscapes twist and dissolve and resonate with fear and anticipation. Some of the descriptions are among the most unique I have ever encountered.

But it's not just the atmosphere. The formalistic approach Izumi employs complements the gothic mood. The stories also twist and dissolve into themselves, their resolution never sure at hand. At the end, a cloud of melancholy pervades the book. But that is one with the idea of the gothic.

The stories are set from a period between the turn of the last century to the third decade of the twentieth century. This was a period of intense Japanese modernization, building upon what had already begun during the latter half of the nineteenth century. Izumi's stories reflect those times, but they do so in a timeless manner. Railways and hospital surgeries become places of haunting memories. Seasides and festivals provide a background to enchantments and encounters with death. Utterly fascinating.… (mere)