[BOOK REVIEW] Japanese Monster Survival Guide

June 30, 2008 by Dennis Amith

Japantoday.com Kevin McGue wrote, “Let’s do a quick rundown of your Japan-related bookshelf. “Japanese for Busy People?” Check. “Making Out in Japanese?” Check. “Tokyo for Free?” “Lonely Planet Japan?” Check and check.”

“So you think you have everything you need to survive in Japan, do you? Well, would you know what to do if you were walking down a dark Tokyo alley and encountered a “kuchisake onna,” a machete-wielding woman wearing a surgical mask to hide a deformed mouth stretching from ear to ear? What if a weekend jaunt to the countryside brought you face to face with a “kappa,” a cute but ferocious river goblin known for disemboweling humans? What would you do if a giant and very dirty foot smashed through the ceiling of your apartment while you are watching TV?”

“This new “survival guide” by husband and wife team Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt gives you tips on how to get through such hairy scraps with your life and all your vital organs intact. In case you were wondering, the above encounters, respectively, can be survived by throwing some “bekko ame” (a hard candy), by bowing deeply to the “kappa,” and washing the foot so it will go away.”