Kaidan
/ˈkaɪ.dɑːn/noun
A Japanese ghost story or tale of the supernatural.
Did you know?Lafcadio Hearn’s 1904 book Kwaidan helped introduce Japanese ghost stories—and the word itself—to English-speaking audiences.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Classical Chinese
怪談
“A strange or supernatural tale; the characters literally mean “strange” and “conversation/story.””
Middle Chinese
Chinese
怪談
“A compound meaning an uncanny account or tale.”
Medieval Japan
Japanese
怪談（かいだん）
“A tale concerning ghosts, marvels, or supernatural events.”
Edo Period
Japanese
Kaidan
“A recognized genre of Japanese supernatural and ghost storytelling.”
1904
English
Kwaidan
“Lafcadio Hearn’s romanized title for a collection of Japanese ghost stories.”
Modern English
English
kaidan
“A Japanese ghost story or supernatural tale, often used in discussions of folklore and horror.”