Teito Monogatari
Teito Monogatari (帝都物語, lit., The Tale of the Imperial Capital) is an epic historical dark fantasy/science fiction work; the debut novel of natural history researcher and polymath Hiroshi Aramata. It began circulation in the literary magazine Monthly King Novel owned by Kadokawa Shoten in 1983, and was published in 10 volumes over the course of 1985–1987. The novel is a romanticized retelling of the 20th-century history of Tokyo from an occultist perspective.
Covers of the 1987 republication. Art by Yoshitaka Amano. | |
| Author | Hiroshi Aramata |
|---|---|
| Language | Japanese |
| Genre | Alternate History Science fantasy Dark fantasy Weird fiction |
| Publisher | Kadokawa Shoten |
| Published | 1985–1989; 1995 in print |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) |
Widely regarded as the first mainstream novel to popularize onmyōdō and fūsui mythology in modern Japanese fiction, the work was a major success in its native country. It won the 1987 Nihon SF Taisho Award, sold over 5 million copies in Japan alone, inspired several adaptations as well as a long running literary franchise. Likewise its influence can still be felt to this day.