Kokoro: An Intimate Portrait of Japanese Inner Life

"The papers composing this volume treat of the inner rather than of the outer life of Japan, for which reason they have been grouped under the title (heart). [This] word signifies also mind, in the emotional sense; spirit; courage; resolve; sentiment; affection; and inner meaning, just as we say in English, "the heart of things." — As an interpreter of Japan for the West, Lafcadio Hearn has no peer. His books are still read with fascination by foreigners and Japanese alike—a tribute to his keen powers of observation and the vividness of his prose. is Hearn's love letter to Japan—his exploration of the genius of Japanese civilization and the wonder he felt at encountering these islands and their inhabitants. Published six years after Hearn arrived in Japan, these stories focus on the inner spiritual life of the Japanese. Sometimes touching and always compelling, they are drawn from Hearn's own experiences, telling stories of the people and customs that still make Japan so unique. includes an informative foreword by Patricia Welch which highlights how, 125 years later, our understanding of Japan can still be deepened by Hearn's heartfelt prose.