Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda

This collection of short stories are inspired by the Japanese folklore tales which filled with supernatural and variety of yūrei and yōkai (ghosts and monsters). Each story appears as an individual short story. However, as you continue reading the collection, you will realise that the stories are connecting from one to another. And most of the stories share a similar theme, which is tied by the company runs by Mr Tei. Many of the main characters are someone who experiences a hard life, and they find hope from a ghost or from a different world.

A late-night visit of two women persuading a man to buy their lantern; a woman who has been struggling with body hair in her life and believes that her body hair is the reason that her ex-boyfriend left her; Hina appears to thank the person who had fished her skeleton on that day. My most favourite part of the collection is the story of Mr Tei’s factory and the way he approaches his customer when he finds there is a defect in his product.

The collection creates a harmonious encounter between humans and spirits. Each story is uniquely intriguing and never failed to introduce to the readers the beauty of traditional Japanese folklore.

Rating: ★★★★ (4/5)
More reviews can be found on Goodreads:Where the Wild Ladies Are by  Aoko Matsuda.