Hoichi the Earless

Hoichi the Earless (耳なし芳一, Mimi-nashi Hōichi) is the name of a well-known figure from Japanese folklore. His story is well known in Japan, and the best-known English translation first appeared in the book Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things by Lafcadio Hearn.

A version of this story appears in the film Kwaidan, as well as the play The Dream of a Summer Day, which are both based on Hearn's work.

The source text Hearn used has been identified as the work of Isseki Sanjin (一夕散人), entitled "The Secret Biwa Music that Caused the Yurei to Lament (琵琶秘曲泣幽霊, Biwa no hikyoku yūrei wo kanashimu)", in the series Gayū kidan (臥遊奇談), vol. 2, (pub. 1782).^[1]^[2]^[3]

^ Mori, Senzo(森銑三) (1994). 森銑三著作集: 続編 (snippet). Vol. 11. 中央公論社. ISBN 978-4-12-403084-6.
^ Miyata, Nao(宮田尚) (2006), "芳一ぱなし'から「歪なし芳一のはなし」へ(From the Original Japanese Stories of "Hoichi" to Hearn's English Adaptation "The Story of Mimi-nashi-Hoichi")" (pdf), 梅光学院大学・女子短期大学部論集, 39: 13–22 山口県大学共同リポジトリ Archived 2014-01-19 at the Wayback Machine
^ Davisson, Zack. The Secret Biwa Music that Caused the Yurei to Lament. Chin Music Press. Retrieved 21 September 2020.

[1] Mori, Senzo(森銑三) (1994). 森銑三著作集: 続編 (snippet). Vol. 11. 中央公論社. ISBN 978-4-12-403084-6.

[2] Miyata, Nao(宮田尚) (2006), "芳一ぱなし'から「歪なし芳一のはなし」へ(From the Original Japanese Stories of "Hoichi" to Hearn's English Adaptation "The Story of Mimi-nashi-Hoichi")" (pdf), 梅光学院大学・女子短期大学部論集, 39: 13–22 山口県大学共同リポジトリ Archived 2014-01-19 at the Wayback Machine

[3] Davisson, Zack. The Secret Biwa Music that Caused the Yurei to Lament. Chin Music Press. Retrieved 21 September 2020.

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