Claudius Ferrand

Born in Crémieu, France, in 1868, Claudius Ferrand was ordained as a priest for the Paris Foreign Missions in 1891. He was first sent to Japan, where he settled in Kyushu in the early 1890s, learned Japanese, and worked in rural communities before later serving in Tokyo.

Alongside his missionary work, he became known as a writer who helped French readers discover Japanese culture. His best-known book, Fables et légendes du Japon, gathers traditional stories and legends and reflects the close knowledge of Japan he developed through years of living there.

Later in life, Ferrand also served in Korea. He died in 1930, leaving behind work that stands at an interesting meeting point of travel, faith, and folklore.