YOKAI WONDERLAND: More from YUMOTO Koichi Collections: Supernatural Beings in Japanese Art

April 1, 2018

Author: Koichi Yumoto (b.1950) : Collector and researcher of yokai art. Former curatorial director of the Kawasaki City Museum. 

This book’s colorful cover art may give you the impression that it’s another children’s book but you really shouldn’t judge any book by its cover anyway

YOKAI WONDERLAND: More from YUMOTO Koichi Collections: Supernatural Beings in Japanese Art is a gorgeous breathtakingly comprehensive collection of Japanese art featuring yokai (the monsters of Japanese folklore). It was recently released by PIE International last April 1, 2018.

This book will is your ticket to the weird, beautiful, bizarre and highly spiritual nature of Japanese culture.

You will find lots of interesting things here like ogres, spider creatures, ghosts, animal spirits, giant centipedes and demons.

All of the works featured in this book are from the exceptional personal collection of Koichi Yumoto, a historian and former curatorial director of the Kawasaki City Museum whose commentary on the works and history of yokai is included in the book. YOKAI WONDERLAND reveals Japanese history and culture as you’ve never seen it before, and will enthrall Japanese art lovers, existing fans of yokai, and those who are new to these fascinating supernatural creatures alike.

A huge chunk of this book is a about the Yumoto Koichi Collection.

It is the largest personal collection of Yokai art in Japan: around 3,000 works which range from the Edo period to the present day. These include paintings, woodblock prints, scrolls, ceramics, kimonos , wooden sculptures, magazines, children’s toys, board games and more.

The intricately detailed illustrations and photos from this book aim to give an overview of the path the yokai have taken, constantly evolving as they continue to intrigue us.

The texts inside are in with English translations.

The print is gorgeous. I love matte inside pages that provides additional character and gives you a good sense of history as you browse through the whole book.  

Yokai Wonderland is a perfect book for the collectors and the curious souls with who is drawn to history and Japanese culture.

PIE International’s full North American Spring/Summer 2018 catalog is available for viewing now at https://issuu.com/piebooks/.

Learn more at http://pie.co.jp/english/ and follow PIE International on Facebook and Pinterest.

PIE International titles are distributed in North America via Ingram Publisher Services, and available for purchase wherever books are sold. 

For over twenty years, Japanese publisher PIE International Inc. has been bringing books of unparalleled quality, originality, and beauty to the North American market, making their catalog consistently sought-after by visual entertainment industry professionals. The variety of PIE’s active list ranges from legendary Japanese artist Hokusai Katsushika, one of the most famous Ukiyo-e artists, to Otomo Katsuhiro, author of the mega hit anime/manga series AKIRA

Originally founded as a graphic design firm, ever since they began to publish books in 1971, the guiding philosophy at PIE has been to create titles that are ‘Sweet and Fresh’ – so much so, these have become essential keywords at the company’s Tokyo headquarters.

“When we make a book, we always ask ourselves: is it Pretty? Impressive? Entertaining? That is the PIE spirit,” president Hiromoto Miyoshi explains.

In Spring/Summer 2018, PIE International – already well known to Japanese book lovers as one of the country’s leading art book publishing houses – will release five remarkable front-list titles sure to make a lasting impression on North American audiences, and all who seek out works of great artistry, insight, and freshness.