Tales from the Kyoto Ghost Story Priest
True Horror Stories from Japan (The Manga Edition)
When your house is haunted by demons, who do you call?
The beautiful city of Kyoto has an ancient history but beneath its placid exterior lies a dark and secretive world of supernatural phenomena. When people are terrorised by spirits, demons, ghosts and monsters they seek out Daiun Miki, a real-life priest at Renkyuji Temple. Known throughout Japan as the 'Ghost Story Priest', Miki retells the stories of the desperate people he counsels and protects from these otherworldly creatures.
The eleven horrifying true stories in this book include:
- 'Broken Mirrors' – A couple believe the mirrors in their home are cursed when they begin to show far more than their reflections
- 'The Monster of Funaoka Mountain' – A group of boys spend the night in a 'haunted' park only to discover that legends are often more than mere myths
- 'Kokeshi Doll Mother' – An orphan girl develops a powerful bond with her precious doll but when her friend comes between them the consequences turn deadly
- 'The Smell of Impending Death' – Daiun explains his ability to smell the stench of death on people who are about to die, and how this is more of a curse than a blessing
- And seven other chilling tales!
Meticulously adapted by manga artist Tatsuya Morino, Tales of a Kyoto Ghost Story Priest is a fascinating look at the ghostly world of Kyoto from the perspective of a real Buddhist priest.
Daiun Miki is head priest at Renkyuji Temple in Kyoto. He is well known in Japan as the 'Ghost Story Priest' who uses tales of the supernatural in his sermons. He has appeared on TV and radio numerous times in his 'Dharma Talks through Scary Stories' series. He has developed his own 'ghost story method' in which he espouses Buddhist principles using supernatural stories and phenomena he has personally witnessed. He has collected hundreds of ghost stories from Kyoto residents and has published four books on their experiences.
Tatsuya Morino is a talented manga artist based in Japan who specializes in horror, tales of the supernatural, and Yokai. He has illustrated many popular manga including Yokai Kazoku, Kaibutsu Genso Gashu, and Yokai Attack! He was the assistant to the master of Yokai manga Shigeru Mizuki for a decade. His work Kaiki Taxi was adapted into a live-action film in 2022.
