Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
Momotaro the Peach Boy
A hero born from a giant peach leads a team of animals to defeat wicked ogres.
MomotaroThe Old Man
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Japanese Folklore
Part of the World Mythologies collection
37 Stories
Showing 1-24 of 37 stories
Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
Urashima Taro and the Sea Palace
A fisherman's journey to an underwater paradise leads to a heartbreaking encounter with time.
Urashima TaroPrincess Otohime
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
Kaguya-hime the Moon Princess
A celestial princess found in bamboo captivates the world before returning to her home on the moon.
Kaguya-himeSanuki no Miyatsuko
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
The Crane Wife
A man's broken promise and greed drive away the magical crane who sacrificed everything for him.
KarokuThe Crane Wife
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
The Tongue-Cut Sparrow
A humble man finds fortune and a greedy woman finds terror in this classic Japanese fable.
Kind Old ManGreedy Old Woman
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
Kintaro the Golden Boy
A superhuman boy raised in the wild uses his strength for good and becomes a legendary samurai.
KintaroPrincess Yaegiri
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
Issun-boshi the One-Inch Boy
A tiny hero proves his worth by defeating a giant ogre with a needle and a brave heart.
Issun-boshiThe Old Couple
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
The Tanabata Legend
Two celestial lovers separated by the Milky Way meet once a year on a bridge made of magpies.
OrihimeHikoboshi
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
Bunbuku Chagama the Magic Tea Kettle
A shapeshifting tanuki repays a man's kindness by becoming a world-famous circus act.
The Junk DealerThe Tanuki (Bunbuku)
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
The Old Man Who Made Trees Bloom
A kind man turns tragedy into beauty when his dog’s spirit helps him make dead trees bloom.
The Kind Old ManThe Kind Old Woman
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
The Grateful Crane
A kind act towards a trapped crane leads to a magical encounter and a lesson in keeping promises.
The Kind ManThe Crane Woman
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
The Rolling Rice Balls
A kind man follows a rolling rice ball into a magical world of treasure-giving mice.
The Kind WoodcutterThe Greedy Neighbor
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
The Straw Millionaire
A poor man turns a single piece of straw into a fortune through a series of miraculous trades.
The Poor ManGoddess Kannon
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
The Old Man with the Wen
A kind man’s joyful dance cures his ailment, while his neighbor’s greed doubles his trouble.
Kind Old ManEnvious Neighbor
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
My Lord Bag of Rice
A brave warrior slays a monster and receives a magical, bottomless bag of rice.
Fujiwara no HidesatoThe Dragon King
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
The Stonecutter
A stonecutter’s journey through divine transformations leads him back to his own hidden strength.
The StonecutterThe Mountain Spirit
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
The Mirror of Matsuyama
A young girl discovers her mother's soul within a gift, unaware she is seeing her own reflection.
The MotherThe Daughter
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Classic FolktalesJapanese Folklore
The Jellyfish and the Monkey
A witty monkey tricks a sea messenger to escape becoming a medicinal ingredient for the Sea Queen.
The MonkeyThe Jellyfish
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Supernatural TalesJapanese Folklore
Yuki-onna the Snow Woman
A woodcutter’s life depends on keeping a secret from his mysterious, pale-skinned wife.
MinokichiYuki-onna (O-yuki)
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Supernatural TalesJapanese Folklore
Hoichi the Earless
A blind musician plays for the dead and pays a permanent price for a single oversight.
HoichiThe Priest
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Supernatural TalesJapanese Folklore
The Kappa
A supernatural river spirit is defeated by its own commitment to etiquette and a clever bow.
The KappaThe Clever Samurai
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Supernatural TalesJapanese Folklore
The Tengu
A young warrior seeks the wisdom of legendary mountain spirits to master the art of the sword.
SojoboMinamoto no Yoshitsune
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Supernatural TalesJapanese Folklore
Kitsune the Fox Spirit
A shapeshifting fox spirit balances love and nature in this classic Japanese myth.
YasunaKuzunoha (The Kitsune)
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Supernatural TalesJapanese Folklore
Tanuki the Trickster
A shape-shifting Tanuki turns his mischief into magic to repay a poor man’s kindness.
TanukiThe Junk Dealer
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