The Japanese Psyche: Major Motifs in the Fairy Tales of Japan

This book examines the haunting, sad, and lovely depths of the Japanese soul by studying their idiosyncratic figures: terrible women who eat people, obscene escapes from the Oni monsters, brother-sister bonds, undersea dragon palaces, movements between "worlds". We learn why so few tales end in a "happily-ever-after" marriage, and why the female figure best represents the culture's ego and possible future.

Prof. Kawai, the first Jungian analyst in Japan, has received many honors including distinguished literary prizes for this book. He now holds a most senior position in the Ministry of Culture.