Folktales from Japan
50 episodes
Sameuratarou Became a Rock / Koukichi Flies Through the Sky
A whale turns into a rock. A man wants to learn to fly, but runs into resistance from the Japanese government. Source: crunchyroll
The Bamboo Shoot Child / The Demon Kite of Ikinoshim
A child appears from inside a stalk of bamboo. A village makes a kite with the face of an oni. Source: crunchyroll
The Catfish God / Inou Tadataka
A wife unwittingly offends a powerful catfish god. Inou Tadataka becomes the first man to make a map of Japan. Source: crunchyroll
Kappa Stone / The Moss Ball of Akan Lake
A boy throws a rock at a baby kappa, and its father puts a powerful curse on him. The lake moss of the Ainu come to be refered as the heart of the forest. Source: crunchyroll
The Hunter and the Oni / The Three Shrine Festival of Asakusa
A hunter outwits a giant ogre called an oni. Two sons find a statue of one of the buddhas while trying to catch fish for their sick mother. Source: crunchyroll
Anju and Zushiou / Kicchomu-san the Sharp
A brother and sister escape from enslavement. Stories are told of Kicchomu, who is famous for his cleverness. Source: crunchyroll
Granny Orin and the Bottle Rock / The Madara Demon God and Kannon-sama
An old woman sacrifices herself to bring prosperity to a starving village. A demon god repairs a destroyed temple. Source: crunchyroll
The Akoya Pine / The Spicy Lotus Root of Higo
A girl falls in love with the spirit of a pine tree. A frail lord is tempted into eating more by the power of mustard and lotus root. Source: crunchyroll
Chikaraishi Plays Sumo / The Great Buddha of Nara
A man named Chikaraishi battles Kappa for sumo supremacy. The great buddha of Nara is built over a period of decades. Source: crunchyroll
The Golden Ladle / The Chaguchagu Pony
An ogre possesses a golden ladle. A young boy's beloved horse is brutally treated by a rich man. Source: crunchyroll
The Wolf Rich Man / Shouki-san and the Demon Roof Tile
A man gains the ability to see others for the animals they really are. A demon roof tile brings misfortune. Source: crunchyroll
Doukan / Priest Enkuu
A peasant hears about Japanese poetry and decides to try some for himself. A monk whittles 100,000 statues of buddha. Source: crunchyroll
The Beefy Biceps Given by a Ghost / The Yummy Miso That`s a Hacchou Away
A ghost makes a man strong. Good miso is found only a short distance away. Source: crunchyroll
The Giant Barley Straw Snake / Uesugi Youzan Makes It Work
A snake made of straw comes to life. Uesugi Youzan makes things happen. Source: crunchyroll
The Tofu Priest Statue / Hiraga Gennai
A greedy man wants to cheat customers out of tofu. A lowly merchant grows to great riches. Source: crunchyroll
Houko-san / Wabicha and Senno Rikyuu
A girl sacrifices herself to save her master's daughter. Sen Rikyuu creates a new style of tea. Source: crunchyroll
Tanuki Fields / The Orange Boat of Bunzaemon
Tanuki plow a field for a kind man. Bunzaemon becomes rich selling oranges. Source: crunchyroll
The Pilgrim and the Bath / The Slaying of the Monster of Himeji Castle
A man gets a bathtub stuck to his butt by an angry god. A warrior challenges the ghosts of Himeji castle. Source: crunchyroll
The Power Given by an Ogre / The Okesabushi of Okei
An oni gives a girl great power. A cat of repays the kindness of its owners. Source: crunchyroll
A Story of Sage Kume / The Moon, the Buddha, and My Soba
A man wants to be a Sennin but fails, so he becomes a salesman instead. Kobayashi Issa, the haiku poet, thinks of the sun, the moon, and his soba. Source: crunchyroll
Osengafuchi / The Medicine-Seller of Toyama
A man falls in love with a carp he catches in a lake. A lord learns the ways of herbs. Source: crunchyroll
Daikoku-sama and Denzaburou the Rich Man / The Tanuki Priest and Kenchin Soup
A lazy man becomes rich with the help of a god. A raccoon gathers donations for a temple. Source: crunchyroll
The Dream-Telling Priest Statue / The Iwatsuki Doll
A priest statue gives warnings in dreams. A master dollmaker makes a doll from unique materials. Source: crunchyroll
Ninja Isuke and the Oosanshouuo / Arita-yaki Shine Like Persimmons
A ninja learns secret techniques. New methods for pottery are divised. Source: crunchyroll
The Rice-Spouting Priest Statue / The Dog Goes to Ise
A priest statue spits out yummy rice. A dog goes to Ise. Source: crunchyroll
The Sesame Seed Manjuu / The Beginning of Dougo Hot Springs
A woman uses sesame seed buns to turn people into cows. The hot springs at dogo are discovered. Source: crunchyroll
Heishirou of Dokkoi Makabe / Standing on Mt. Fuji
A boy becomes high priest after a lowly upbringing. A girl becomes the first woman to stand on Mt. Fuji. Source: crunchyroll
The Bikki Wife / The Oumi Merchant
A man marries a frog wife. A merchant from Edo teaches people a valuable lesson about quality goods. Source: crunchyroll
The Ship Ghosts of Usa / The Tanuki War of Awa
A ship of ghosts tries to drag the living to the bottom of the ocean. Raccoons fight a war in Awa. Source: crunchyroll
The Rain of the Setomono Festival / The Silkworm and the Wife Lord
A hard-working potter learns the secrets of lacquerware. In Shirataki, the wife is the boss. Source: crunchyroll
Eyeball Swapping / The Byakkotai
A man becomes a doctor after his eyeball falls out. In Aizu, the Byakkotai dies at the end of a war. Source: crunchyroll
The Priest and the Old Tanuki / Otane`s Lake
A priest becomes friends with an old raccoon. A beautiful woman called Otane meets a sad fate. Source: crunchyroll
The Man Who Wanted to Be a Black Kite / The Mountain Princess of Yakushima
A man wants to be a black kite. A sinister creature haunts a tree on a island. Source: crunchyroll
Wanting to Be Poor / The Blessings of Uzumi
A man wants to be poor. A lord forbids his people from luxuries. Source: crunchyroll
Yajiemon and the Big Bear / Nikkou Toushougu and Hidari Jingorou
Yajiemon fights a giant bear. A man designs the gate for a temple after badly injuring his left hand. Source: crunchyroll
The God Riding on a Cucumber / Use an Abacus to Make Kaga a Million Koku
A god rides on a cucumber. A lord becomes rich using his abacus to keep expenses down. Source: crunchyroll
The Farting Wife / The Chef of Shuri Castle
A wife farts so hard that she blows down trees. A chef in Okinawa competes for the best dish. Source: crunchyroll
The Mountain Granny`s Mochi / Namahage
A mountain granny brings prosperity in exchange for delicious mochi. Horrible creatures called Namahage strike a town in Akita. Source: crunchyroll
The Invisible Man / The River Otter of Shimanto River
A man becomes invisible and feels very alone. A river otter is tricked by dastardly shrimp. Source: crunchyroll
Three Grains of Rice, Three Grains of Gold / Jirochou of Shimizu
Three grains of rice become three grains of gold. A man named Jirochou is an inpsiration to everyone. Source: crunchyroll
The Swordsman and the Bale of Straw / The Pack Carriers of Mackerel Highway
A samurai breaks a teacup owned by a poor man. Pack runners carry salmon along a mountain path. Source: crunchyroll
Mountain Granny Shrine / Sugawara Michizane and the Legend of the Flying Plum
A mountain grannie repays those who are kind to her. A child prodigy is banished far from the capital. Source: crunchyroll
The Paper Bag Wind / Tanabata-san`s Present
A man bags the wind. An ancient legend about Tanabata is still told to this day. Source: crunchyroll
The Mountain Monk Tanuki / The Doll Stones of Kintai Bridge
A raccoon disguises itself as a mountain monk. A woman is sacrificed to make a bridge sturdy. Source: crunchyroll
Yagorou-don and the Men / The Bug-Sending of Tsugaru
A giant called Yagorou-dono lived long ago. A god drives away insects from crops. Source: crunchyroll
Ishidoumaru / Konoshiro and Matsue Castle
A boy called Ishidoumaru searches for his father. A lord battles a monster in his keep. Source: crunchyroll
The Colt That Escaped from a Painting / The Cold Soup Granny
A horse from a painting comes alive. A recipe is made for cold soup. Source: crunchyroll
The Monk Who Went to Hell / Mito Mitsukuni Is Hungry
A greedy priest is sent to hell. A great man named Mito Mitsukuni is very hungry. Source: crunchyroll
The 16th Day Cherry Tree / Monkey Bridge
A cherry tree blooms on the night of the full moon. A bridge-maker makes a bride over a steep canyon. Source: crunchyroll
The Gongen-sama on the Northern Mountain / Anchin and Kiyohime
A goddess lives on the northern mountain. Kiyohime becomes a snake and attacks the one she loves. Source: crunchyroll