Lafcadio Hearn

Shiominawate, Matsue

Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904) was a writer & expat. Born in Greece to a British father & a Greek mother, he was abandoned by both parents and neglected by his guardians. Eventually he washed up on the shores of Japan, from which he never looked back. He's best known for "Kwaidan" and other books about the ghost stories and legends of Old Japan.

The photos on this page show a half-length statue of the writer (upper photo) and a series of banners commemorating his travels (lower photo).