In Japanese folklore, ‘yōkai’ is a collective name for monsters, spirits, ghosts and demons, many of which are honoured at traditional festivals and ceremonies. Some yōkai are kind, others are nasty, but none are completely understood. They represent the mysteries of life and twisting, turning fate. For his acclaimed and ongoing project ‘Yokainoshima’ (meaning ‘Island of the Monsters’), French photographer Charles Fréger has designed a series of extravagant yōkai costumes from bundles of straw, luridly painted masks, window blinds, Japanese fabrics and more, dressed his friends up in them, and driven them out to the countryside for a wild, mischievous shoot. Now, as part of the Cité de l’Image photography festival in Clervaux, Luxembourg, everybody can take a holiday on the Island of the Monsters.

More information at: Cité de l’Image