{"id":109,"date":"2026-04-14T06:34:53","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T06:34:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/?p=109"},"modified":"2026-04-14T06:34:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T06:34:53","slug":"turn-fear-into-fun-singing-with-obake-nante-nai-sa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/14\/turn-fear-into-fun-singing-with-obake-nante-nai-sa\/","title":{"rendered":"Turn Fear into Fun: Singing with Obake Nante Nai Sa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u304a\u3070\u3051\u306a\u3093\u3066\u306a\u3044\u3055<\/a> is a charming Japanese picture book based on a well-known children\u2019s song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Created by \u305b\u306a\u3051\u3044\u3053<\/a>, the book transforms the familiar tune into a playful visual experience, where children can sing along while exploring a gentle and humorous world of ghosts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why This Book Is Loved <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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A Shared \u201cSing-Along\u201d Experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because the story follows the lyrics of a famous song, reading naturally turns into singing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This creates a strong sense of togetherness between parent and child, making storytime feel like playtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Unique Collage Texture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sena Keiko\u2019s signature torn-paper collage style gives the book a warm, handmade feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rough edges and simple shapes create a memorable visual impact that stands out from typical illustrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Turning Fear into Humor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of being scary, ghosts are treated playfully\u2014imagined as something you could freeze or even befriend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This approach gently helps children overcome nighttime fears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Expressive and Human-Like Ghosts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ghosts are not frightening monsters but characters with humorous, almost human expressions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their slightly clumsy or puzzled faces make them approachable and endearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Expanding Imagination Through \u201cWhat If\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story invites children into a world where they can visit ghost lands or share snacks with ghosts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This playful imagination transforms something scary into an exciting adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cultural Notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u30fbIn Japan, many picture books are based on children\u2019s songs, blending music and storytelling into one experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u30fbGhosts (obake) are often portrayed not as terrifying beings but as playful or humorous characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u30fbThis reflects a cultural tendency to soften fear through imagination and humor, especially in early childhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Book Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Title (JP): \u304a\u3070\u3051\u306a\u3093\u3066\u306a\u3044\u3055 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Title (EN): Obake Nante Nai Sa \/ There Are No Such Things as Ghosts <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author \/ Illustrator: Keiko Sena <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on: Traditional Japanese children\u2019s song <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommended Age: 1\u20133 years <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Publisher: Poplar Publishing (Japan)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary \u304a\u3070\u3051\u306a\u3093\u3066\u306a\u3044\u3055 is a charming Japanese picture book based on a well-known children\u2019s song. Created by \u305b\u306a\u3051\u3044\u3053, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":108,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110,"href":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109\/revisions\/110"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.japanesepicturebooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}