Shadowings — Lafcadio Hearn

This collection of essays and classic stories set in Japan by Lafcadio Hearn -- one of the earliest Westerners to write about Japan -- is an essential addition to any collection of Japanese literature.

Shadowings is made up of three parts: "Stories from Strange Books," which presents six old Japanese tales; "Japanese Studies," in which Hearn explores the lore of his adopted country; and "Fantasies," a group of essays in which he gives free rein to his wide-ranging imagination. All in all, it is a delightful collection of Japanese curiosities and fancies.