Magical Realms in Folktales: Comparing East and West

Abstract: This paper works from a comparative perspective. It presents the history of folklore studies and outlines terminological issues of distinctive categorization of the fairy tale genre in East and West. Moving on from there, it examines the cultural variability of ontological borders between magical realms and the real world, outlining differences in the geography of imagination, moral attitudes, story plots, and characteristics of heroes. It focuses on Chinese and Japanese tales as examples to show similarities and divergences between East and West. Reviewing key Eastern fairy tales, such as those featuring Urashima Tarō, Princess Kaguya, the White Snake, and more, it points out the specific characteristics of the magical realms in folktales of the Far East.