Kwaidan – Encounters with Lafcadio Hearn” Exhibition Celebrating Koizumi Yakumo and Setsu
With the start of the morning drama series “Bake Bake,” the story of Lafcadio Hearn (later known as Koizumi Yakumo after naturalizing as a Japanese citizen) and his wife, Setsu, has once again drawn attention.
The Embassy of Ireland in Japan is hosting the Ireland-Japan Art Exchange Exhibition “Kwaidan – Encounters with Lafcadio Hearn” at Ireland House Tokyo from November 4th (Tue) to 20th (Thu), 2025. Based on Hearn’s famous book “Kwaidan,” the exhibition showcases works by Irish and Japanese artists, showcasing their keen sensibilities. The exhibition brings Hearn’s worldview of ghost stories to a contemporary setting.
Hearn and his wife, Setsu, met in Matsue, where Setsu famously recounted Japanese ghost stories to Hearn. Hearn was sometimes so terrified by Setsu’s narration that he even had unbearable nightmares. By viewing the world of “Kwaidan” depicted by a contemporary artist, viewers can even experience the fear Hearn felt up close.
To commemorate the exhibition, a collaborative concert featuring Irish-born Satsuma biwa player Charles Marshall and Irish harpist Triona Marshall was also held. The performance and music brought to mind the ghost story “Mimi-nashi Hoichi” (Earless Hoichi) to any Japanese.
Hearn was born on the Greek island of Lefkada to an Irish father and a Greek mother, and later lived in Dublin. Ireland is a country where the existence of fairies and spirits is deeply rooted in its culture. Halloween, now a major event in Japan, also originated in Ireland. Halloween originally grew out of Celtic beliefs, based on the belief that the souls of the deceased return. In Japan, too, it is believed that spirits return to their homes each year during Obon, and both countries are home to local monsters, fairlies and ghosts. It seems that Lafcadio Hearn felt an affinity with the cultures of both countries, which are connected by animism, and that he chose to live in Japan, finding a wonderful companion in Setsu and becoming Koizumi Yakumo.
This exhibition first opened in June 2023 in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, where Hearn lived, and has since traveled to various locations. It was also exhibited at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, in line with the theme of the Ireland Pavilion, “Creativity Connects People.” It has also been scheduled for an exhibition at Yanagisawa Gallery in Saitama Prefecture in 2026. This is an exhibition that you should see.
