Long, long ago, there lived in the province of Shinshin in Japan, a traveling monkey-man, who earned his living by taking round a monkey and showing off the animal’s tricks. One evening the man came home in a very bad temper and told his wife to send for the butcher the next morning. The wife…
The Goblin of Adachigahara
Long, long ago there was a large plain called Adachigahara, in the province of Mutsu in Japan. This place was said to be haunted by a cannibal goblin who took the form of an old woman. From time to time many travelers disappeared and were never heard of more, and the old women round the…
The Mirror of Matsuyama, a Story of Old Japan
Long years ago in old Japan there lived in the Province of Echigo, a very remote part of Japan even in these days, a man and his wife. When this story begins they had been married for some years and were blessed with one little daughter. She was the joy and pride of both their…
The Bamboo-Cutter and the Moon-Child
Long, long ago, there lived an old bamboo wood-cutter. He was very poor and sad also, for no child had Heaven sent to cheer his old age, and in his heart there was no hope of rest from work till he died and was laid in the quiet grave. Every morning he went forth into…
The Story of The Man Who Did Not Wish to Die
Long, long ago there lived a man called Sentaro. His surname meant “Millionaire,” but although he was not so rich as all that, he was still very far removed from being poor. He had inherited a small fortune from his father and lived on this, spending his time carelessly, without any serious thoughts of work,…
The Story Of Princess Hase, A Story Of Old Japan
Many, many years ago there lived in Nara, the ancient Capital of Japan, a wise State minister, by name Prince Toyonari Fujiwara. His wife was a noble, good, and beautiful woman called Princess Murasaki (Violet). They had been married by their respective families according to Japanese custom when very young, and had lived together happily…
The Jelly Fish and the Monkey
Notes: Another version of this story can be found in The Purple Fairy Book, here Yokai in this story: The Dragon King Ryuujin (called Rin Jin) Long, long ago, in old Japan, the Kingdom of the Sea was governed by a wonderful King. He was called Rin Jin, or the Dragon King of the Sea. His power…
The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees to Flower
Notes: another version of this story can be found in The Purple Fairy Book, here Long, long ago there lived an old man and his wife who supported themselves by cultivating a small plot of land. Their life had been a very happy and peaceful one save for one great sorrow, and this was they…
The Farmer and the Badger
Notes: Another (shorter) version of this story can be found in The Pink Fairy Book, here. I believe the badger in this story is a translation of the Japanese animal tanuki. In this case, as the tanuki is sentient, it might actually be a yokai, the bake-danuki (lit. monster-tanuki). Long, long ago, there lived an…
The Tongue Cut Sparrow
Note: Another (shorter) version of this story can be found in The Pink Fairy Book, here. Long, long ago in Japan there lived an old man and his wife. The old man was a good, kind-hearted, hard-working old fellow, but his wife was a regular cross-patch, who spoiled the happiness of her home by her…
The Story Of Urashima Taro, The Fisher Lad
Notes: There is another (shorter) version of this story, in the Pink Fairy Book, here Yokai in this story: The Dragon King Ryuujin Long, long ago in the province of Tango there lived on the shore of Japan in the little fishing village of Mizu-no-ye a young fisherman named Urashima Taro. His father had been…
Hyakki Yagyo: The Night Parade of One Hundred Yokai
The Meaning of the Name: Kanji: 百鬼夜行, pronounced as Hyakki Yagyō or Hyakki Yakō. The most literal translation would by The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons (however, in this article I will be abbreviating the name to The Yokai Parade or The Night Parade). The History of the Hyakki Yagyō In Japan, folklorists have…
Chochin Obake: The Lantern Yokai
The Legend of the Yokai Lantern The Yokai Lantern’s origins: The idea of a living lantern, a chōchin obake, has its origins in Japanese religion. The union of Shintoism and Buddhism led to the idea that every thing, animal, person, object, has a soul. This led to a belief in things called tsukumogami, or living…
The Shinansha, or The South Pointing Carriage
The compass, with its needle always pointing to the North, is quite a common thing, and no one thinks that it is remarkable now, though when it was first invented it must have been a wonder. Now long ago in China, there was a still more wonderful invention called the shinansha. This was a kind…
The Adventures of Kintaro, The Golden Boy
Long, long ago there lived in Kyoto a brave soldier named Kintoki. Now he fell in love with a beautiful lady and married her. Not long after this, through the malice of some of his friends, he fell into disgrace at Court and was dismissed. This misfortune so preyed upon his mind that he did…
My Lord Bag of Rice
Long, long ago there lived, in Japan a brave warrior known to all as Tawara Toda, or “My Lord Bag of Rice.” His true name was Fujiwara Hidesato, and there is a very interesting story of how he came to change his name. One day he sallied forth in search of adventures, for he had…
The Monkey and the Jellyfish
Children must often have wondered why jelly-fishes have no shells, like so many of the creatures that are washed up every day on the beach. In old times this was not so; the jelly-fish had as hard a shell as any of them, but he lost it through his own fault, as may be seen…
The Envious Neighbour
Long, long ago an old couple lived in a village, and, as they had no children to love and care for, they gave all their affection to a little dog. He was a pretty little creature, and instead of growing spoilt and disagreeable at not getting everything he wanted, as even children will do sometimes,…
The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet
In a little village in the country of Japan there lived long, long ago a man and his wife. For many years they were happy and prosperous, but bad times came, and at last nothing was left them but their daughter, who was as beautiful as the morning. The neighbours were very kind, and would…
The Two Frogs
Once upon a time in the country of Japan there lived two frogs, one of whom made his home in a ditch near the town of Osaka, on the sea coast, while the other dwelt in a clear little stream which ran through the city of Kyoto. At such a great distance apart, they had…
Schippeitaro
It was the custom in old times that as soon as a Japanese boy reached manhood he should leave his home and roam through the land in search of adventures. Sometimes he would meet with a young man bent on the same business as himself, and then they would fight in a friendly manner, merely…
The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue
A long long time ago, an old couple dwelt in the very heart of a high mountain. They lived together in peace and harmony, although they were very different in character, the man being good-natured and honest, and the wife being greedy and quarrelsome when anyone came her way that she could possibly quarrel with….
Uraschimataro and the Turtle
There was once a worthy old couple who lived on the coast, and supported themselves by fishing. They had only one child, a son, who was their pride and joy, and for his sake they were ready to work hard all day long, and never felt tired or discontented with their lot. This son’s name…
The Cat’s Elopement
Once upon a time there lived a cat of marvellous beauty, with a skin as soft and shining as silk, and wise green eyes, that could see even in the dark. His name was Gon, and he belonged to a music teacher, who was so fond and proud of him that he would not have…
The Slaying of the Tanuki
Near a big river, and between two high mountains, a man and his wife lived in a cottage a long, long time ago. A dense forest lay all round the cottage, and there was hardly a path or a tree in the whole wood that was not familiar to the peasant from his boyhood. In…
Gashadokuro: The Giant Skeleton That Wants to Eat You
The Meaning of the Gashadokuro’s Name Kanji: 餓者髑髏 . Gashadokuro literally means “starving skeleton”, where 餓者 means “starving” and “髑髏” means “skeleton”. Also known by 大髑髏, or O-dokoro, which directly translates to “big skeleton”. Hiragana: がしゃどくろ The Gashadokuro’s appearance The Gashadokuro is one of the most easily recognisable of Japanese yokai. It is often seen…