Abstract

Heartwarming Yokai Fantasy in O-Edo

Yasuke is a 12-year-old boy who is unable to talk in front of people. He lives with his foster father Sen’ya in an old, worn-out apartment room and Sen’ya deeply loves and cherishes Yasuke. The two are leading a poor but peaceful life, when one night, Yasuke is suddenly abducted by a team of scary-looking Raven Tengu and taken to a Yokai Bugyo-sho [administration office] for "judgement".

Yasuke is accused that a rock he threw to release his frustration from a nightmare, was actually the dwelling of Ubume, the child nursing Yokai. Ubume was so shocked to lose her home that she went missing, and Yokai parents are in trouble because they have lost the nurse to their children who they cannot entrust anywhere else.

Yasuke tries to claim that he did not know it was Ubume’s dwelling, but he is not able to utter a word nor would they allow him to explain. “As the consequence of your crime, you shall serve as a caretaker of children for Yokai parents,” says the Yokai Bugyo as his decision. Since then, Yokai come night after night to have their children looked after by Yasuke, which makes him busy. He looks after a little mischievous Yokai, Umekichi, who looks just like young green plum, or a crybaby Yokai, Tsuyumi, who is a nephew of the Yokai Bugyo, solving troubles and messes, he finds himself talking to Yokai aloud and gradually opening his heart...
A little scary, but heartwarming Yokai fantasy in O-Edo

Author’s Information

Debuted with Sui-yo no Mori (Forest of Water Yokai) in 2006, which won Grand-prix in Junior Adventure Novels Award. Her major novels include the “Fushigi Dagashi-ya Zenitendo (Mysterious Candy Store ‘Zenitendo’)” series, which received first place in the Fourth Children’s Book Pole in 2022 and the anime version has been broadcast on NHK, the “Yokai no Ko Azukarimasu (Nightfall Brings New Friends)” series and the sequel “Yokai no Ko Sodatemasu (We Raise Yokai Children)” series (available as paperback and children’s books), a trilogy of “Narman Nendai-ki (The Chronicle of Narman)”, the “Ju-nen-ya (Decade Shop)” series, the “Himitsu ni Michita Maseki-kan (Secret-filled Maseki-kan)” series, the “Oni Asobi (Demon Play)” series, Okuri-bito no Musume (The Daughter of Undertaker), Hikaji no Musume (The Daughter of Blacksmith), Tamashii o Ou Monotachi (Those Who Chase the Sprits), Tori-kago no Ie (A House of Birdcage), and Ginju no Tsudoi (A Gathering of Silver Beasts). A popular author among wide range of generations.