Tales of Old Japan was the first collection of Japanese popular stories to appear in English and is a classic among writings from Japan. Mitford's work covers the genres of ghost story, fairy tale, folklore and tales of the samurai. Here you will find mysterious No Plays, a fascinating eye-witness account of a hara-kiri ceremony by candlelight and tales of vampires and other creatures of superstition - magic cats, foxes and badgers. Included too are the tale of the cat who bites to death a concubine and transforms itself into a witch-simulacrum of her and the most celebrated story, The Ghost of Sakura. Of the samurai genre, Mitford presents The Forty-Seven Ronins alongside wonderful stories of relentless revenge, furious sword fights, vile treachery, staunch loyalty and vagabond life. Mitford conveys what he saw as the essence of the Japanese spirit - heroism, ruthlessness, devoted loyalty and chivalry - in a memorably vigorous style. This book is a treasury of information on places, customs and characters that illuminates Japanese culture as it delights and entertains.