Folktales from Japan

A demon and his son live in the mountains. The princess of Ryuuguu castle has a baby. Taikichi, who always gives an offering to the Ryuuguu Abyss, is given a wife and child by Ryuuguu Palace. Source: crunchyroll

Asakichi and his wife save the thunder when it falls from heaven. A rough country girl who doesn't know how to be polite says "o" in front of everything because her mom tells her to. A young, hardworking girl is to be adopted by her master…

Gonpachi was working hard at a gold mine to raise money for his family. Three brothers get lost in the mountains and find themselves at the house of a terrifying mountain grannie. A traveler comes to an inn on the Sumidagawa river. She's l…

Recap Episode

The mountain grannie has given birth to a child and the villagers are told to bring Mochi. The talented hunter Sadaroku is never found without his hunting dog, Shiro. He has a license to hunt wherever he wants, but one day he leaves it at …

A lazy man who wants to not work goes to a mansion where they feed him feasts every day. The eldest of the seven sisters of the big dipper falls in love with a man. A man on a fishing ship who makes the food, called a Kashiki, gave the lef…

The people of a village are beset by a firebird. They call upon the Lion King to protect them, and a great battle begins. A wooden buddha made by a faithful believer and a rich man's golden buddha have a sumo match. The rich man bets every…

The monk and the turtle: A travelling monk saves a turtle, and the turtle later saves the monks life. The turtle reappears when the monk is in grave danger. Kijimuna: A mountain occurs near a small village, and the guardian tree of the vi…

The Sending Star: A young, hard-working man hears that his grandmother is dying. He visits her house and sees that she is fine. On his way home, he finds himself in great peril... A promise with the master of the river: A boy is born and …

With the help of his loving son, an old octopus fisher goes on a trip. There was a very rich man who promised to pluck all the warabi off the mountain in a single day. An old couple turn to fraud to make more money at their store, but driv…

A master hunter goes to the mountain, where he has a dream of a frog eating a worm, and then being eaten by a snake. An Ainu village is attacked, and an old woman and her grandson Tonkuru escape into the forest where they get separated. A …

Masakichi, a fisherman who picked up a priest statue from a wrecked ship, is visited by it in his dreams. The merchants of Kyoto are attacked by bandits. They manage to escape but their horses and goods are stolen. A loser meets the god of…

A mother raises two sons alone after her husband dies. A boy at a temple hides two buns to give them to a kind family, but snow falls and he doesn't know where they are... The Tengu of Mt. Kurama gives Ushiwakamaru his father's sword, and …

A man works hard at tilling an arid field near a river. A girl saves his mother from drowning and he marries her. A foreign ship crashes near a small fishing village.A young man leaves on a journey to become strong, and encounters more and…

A young man meets an old man on the way to Ise, and promises to visit his village. A boatman saves a blind man from a flood, but the blind man dies. A rich man has a very powerful servant. The servant is smart, too, so the rich man gives h…

A weasel and a rat plant a field with chestnuts because they're starving. Kotaro goes to visit his mother up the river when the woman who raised him dies. A lightning god comes to Earth and finds a woman who he falls in love with. Source: …

A rich man learns of a treasure in a swamp and forces his servants to drain it. Tatsuko goes to a shrine in the mountain every night seeking eternal beauty. The black dragon, who is the master of a huge swamp, wants to marry the beautiful …

Late one night, a thief tricks a priest into letting him ride on his shoulders, hoping to steal the priest's cloak. A priest stays the night at an old temple, where he sees demons torturing a young girl. A sailor is attacked by ghost ships…

A poor young man lets a traveling girl stay the night in his hut, and ends up marrying her. Two giants compete to build the largest mountain in Japan. A rich man sends a letter to a local priest. If he'll come to the rich man's house and p…

Ikkyuu is a smart young man. The shogun hears about him and gives him a difficult task: defeating a tiger that lives inside a painting. A child meets an old man in the mountains who tells him that if he goes to the mountain god's shrine an…

The mole clan is very rough and violent. They plan to shoot down the sun. A young hunter saves a fox from being eaten by a snake. An old man known for his wit wins a game against the local lord, who challenges him to bring 10 barrels of te…

An old woman who is an excellent midwife hears a woman in pain with a difficult birth. A man saves a snake and is rewarded with a strange sleeve that creates money when shaken. A ghost in an old temple turns out to be a raccoon. Source: cr…

There is a kid who works hard but the priest has never seen him work hard. Yahei's friends cut down a willow tree, and their tongues were ripped out of their throats and they died horrible deaths. Okoma is kidnapped by an eagle and saved b…

A wife weaves her loom to raise money for the family, but the spirits of the dead hear the sound and come to claim her soul. A monk buys some octopus for his ailing mother, but an irritating local man calls him out. A man raises his daught…

An honest old man's bean is eaten by a priest statue, and in exchange he gets a demon's treasure. A man saves a snake from a volcano and is given a reed full of water that will make a spring. A farmer saves a wounded swan, and marries a be…

A man looks for a box of treasure at a bridge. A couple is dealing with a violent governor. An old man who loves to drink finds a skull in a field. Source: crunchyroll

A statue falls in love and goes to visit its lover every night. A trickster fox loves to tease an old man, but one night it goes a little too far. An owl dies a crow different colors, but the crow doesn't like them. Source: crunchyroll

A man finds an expensive bowl being used as a cat dish and schemes to get it. A lazy man is sent to the capital to work. A monkey and a toad go to Ise, but the monkey does all the work. Source: crunchyroll

A fisherman meets a girl with the help of a goddess, but her parents are opposed to their marriage. He tries to send her home, but... To build a shrine in their town, the villagers hire a man named Takumi. At night Takumi's dolls do the wo…

A kind old man raises a dog named Shiro, but his greedy neighbor kills it. When he spreads the ashes in the garden... A rich young man is ill and wants an orange, but it's the middle of summer. The head clerk runs all over town and finally…

A poor man saves a wounded bird, and a beautiful woman comes to be his bride. The beautiful cloths she weaves sell for a high price, but... A young man loves to play the flute, but is forced to prove his bravery by slaying 100 boars. A man…

A man marries a beautiful, rich wife, but is warned never to wake up in the middle of the night. One night he wakes up. An old couple build a child out of the dirt from their bodies. It comes alive and becomes their son. The Kijimuna fairi…

A man meets a woman with no face outside of town. He runs to tell someone, but everyone he sees is a faceless monster. An old man finds a beautiful young girl inside a bamboo tree. A servant works hard to find the woman his master is in lo…

A traveler gets help from a mountain couple, a priest battles an evil entity, and an old man gets a double trouble. Source: crunchyroll

Kintarou is a very strong boy who wants to find his father. A man stays at a mansion filled with monster cats. A rampaging bull destroys fields on moonlit nights. Source: crunchyroll

A man who is all alone in the world takes the advice of a goddess and trades a single piece of straw into a fortune. Two brothers who are masters of the bow stop at a village haunted by a monster. They decide to get rid of it. A brave youn…

A talented woodcutter enters a forbidden forest and is assaulted by a monster crab. An old man is famous for being rough on his servants. Since nobody wants to work for him, he hires monsters. An old man gives a rat a rice ball, and as tha…

A raccoon comes to a woodcutter's house and learns to work a spinning wheel. On a moonlit night, a giant snake appears with two moons in tow and swallows a hunter. His daughters find out and swear revenge. A lord issues an order that anybo…

A man saves a rat who is being bullied, and is granted great fortune. A man saves a turtle who is being bullied, and is taken to an undersea palace. A man saves the frogs in a swamp, and is given a magic folding screen. Source: crunchyroll

A boy the size of a thumb defeats a demon. A girl seeks shelter on a snowy night, but is forced to sleep under the porch. A pack of hungry wolves approach her. The lord of a local province learns to love pike. Source: crunchyroll

A lazy man named Zenroku learns to become a great sawyer. A man finds a celestial maiden's cloth and steals it, and forces her to become his wife. Two ancient sages play a game of go inside an orange. Source: crunchyroll

A hard working family refuses to give in to poverty so the God of Poverty haunting them is to be fired. But they want him to stay. A strange child shouts, "Poor! Trip!" at a poor elderly couple on new years. A poor man gives a priest statu…

A hard working family refuses to give in to poverty so the God of Poverty haunting them is to be fired. But they want him to stay. A strange child shouts, "Poor! Trip!" at a poor elderly couple on new years. A poor man gives a priest statu…

A young man throws all his firewood into a whirlpool, and the next day he's visited by a woman from the undersea palace of Ryuuguu. A millet makes salt, and never stops. Magical birds escape from a painting drawn by a master. Source: crunc…

Married by the gods, a sneaky snake, and you can't get the priest butt wet! Source: crunchyroll

A boy is born from a peach and beats a demon. A fierce hawk kills animals on a winter mountain, and only a hunter can stop it. A thunder god falls in love with the owner of a soba stand and marries her. Source: crunchyroll

A girl named Ofuku is kidnapped by a terrible demon, but she has a plan. A couple invites a demon into their homes on the way when demons are normally driven out. A priest becomes friends with a raccoon couple who want to hear the sutras h…

A man finds a golden egg and takes it home, and a baby hatches from it. A man is cruel to his hard-working wife, who leaves him. Then he turns into a turtle. A lazy man sleeps all day, when a drought comes its time for him to work. Source:…

A man saves a horsefly, who repays him by helping him marry the headman's daughter. A doctor of moxibustion heals a thunder god who has a bad hip. A man loves to look at his wife so much that he can't work, so she gives him a picture of hi…

A man helps a snake and is taken to the dragon god's palace, and the dragon god offers him anything he wants. He asks for water for his village. A white rat brings blessings to a man but his greedy neighbor steels it. A lazy man finds a ti…

A god gives a man a fox who helps him in business, but the fox demands an exponential price in return. A stonecutter learns who the most important man in the world is. Dolls come out to play at night on Doll's Day. Source: crunchyroll

A traveling performer gets lost on a mountain at night, and encounters a mountain grannie. The grannie asks him to perform. A monk finds an envelope of money for a boy named "Sentoku." An ugly stonefish tries to confess its love to a beaut…

A thief helps a sick boy instead of stealing. A horse, a cat, a dog, and a chicken go on a journey. Stories are sold for ten gold coins. Source: crunchyroll

A man washes his horse in the river, and the horse is attacked by evil imps. A white fox repays a debt. A lord and a peasant woman exchange beautiful poems. Source: crunchyroll

Recap Episode

A monkey gets what he deserves, Kihachi gets what he deserves, a spider pays a debt. Source: crunchyroll

Crab children seek vengeance on a monkey who hurt their mother. A greedy man finds a shrine that doubles his money. A man saves a spider and marries a beautiful woman, who makes him rich with her splendid weaving. Source: crunchyroll

A rabbit seeks revenge when a raccoon's pranks go too far. Two monsters are defeated by a Buddhist monk. A wandering monk battles a horrifying monster who turns her victims to stone. Source: crunchyroll

A noble boy is covered in ashes to hide his true identity. A Tengu turns a lake into sake, and threatens a boy if he reveals the secret. A man named Kanekichi plays a flute so beautifully it entrances even the animals. Source: crunchyroll

A fox impersonates a man's wife. Gods play a game of sumo to celebrate a change of fortune in a household. An old couple has a quiet contest that's interrupted by a thief. Source: crunchyroll

A priest statue helps an old man. A traveling performer meets a giant snake that devours travelers. A fishing village angers the whales and pays a terrible price. Source: crunchyroll

A priest sends a boy into town to learn about the mysterious "tenshiki". A snot-nosed boy can grant any wish, but he drools all the time. A lost house gives wonderful presents. Source: crunchyroll

A priest turns into a carp while he is very sick. A singing pot tells of treasure. A giant teapot monster haunts an abandoned temple. Source: crunchyroll

A man gets a hood which helps him listen to animals. An old man's wife beloved makes him promise to put her dead body in the closet. Vegetables take a bath to get ready to go to heaven. Source: crunchyroll

A village helps a monk escape the wrath of a fuedal lord. A goddess turns leaves into fish to help her people. A high priest comes to the village. Source: crunchyroll

A traveling pair of samurai eat delicious miso beans, which are so good that they travel back three leagues to get more. A boy sleeps for three years and begins to make strange requests. A lazy boy is forced to work in the mountains for th…

A man becomes faster than a horse after his mother dies. A sumo wrestler uses divine help to defeat an opponent. A kappa wants to marry a girl in exchange for his help. Source: crunchyroll

Two boys have a great destiny to fulfill. A fox and a raccoon get in a competition to see who can trick the other. A boy goes deep underground and finds a terrible country of demons. Source: crunchyroll

A man is always in a big hurry. A terrible monster is defeated by a cat. A rich man devises a cunning plan to marry off his daughter. Source: crunchyroll

Cats perform plays late at night. A man is mistaken for a god. A gourd grants all wishes. Source: crunchyroll

A lesson about soba is learned. A lightning god refuses to strike a mulberry tree. The souls of the dead rip off a man's ears. Source: crunchyroll

A Priest Statue goes around a village. A Priest Statue turns sideways. An unsettling story about a teacup. Source: crunchyroll

A boy climbs a beanstalk to heaven. A man promises to marry his dying wife when she is reborn. The sorrowful souls of dead mothers haunt a mountain for all eternity. Source: crunchyroll

Men make friends with a magic go player. A mischevious boy named Yachabou makes a friend. A man shoots a duck in anger and is visited in the night by its vengeful ghost Source: crunchyroll

Every night a cursed katana flies out of its scabbard and kills people. The ghost of a murdered woman counts plates every night. A couple moves next to a lake where animals and monsters live. Source: crunchyroll

An Octopus wants a hat. A secret is buried. A raccoon with a unibrow sets a task for a monk. Source: crunchyroll

A kappa learns to fish. Buddha eats some snacks... or does he? A sparrow and woodpecker visit their dying mother. Source: crunchyroll

A man uses his fortune-telling skills to win a reward. A suspicious man believes rumors that lead to his fiancee's death. An old priest tricks a monster. Source: crunchyroll

A man sleeps and waits for good news. A woman wants to divorce her husband because his mother farts too much. A man marries a snake. Source: crunchyroll

A monk goes to a temple for spiritual training. An Eggplant Grannie reportedly shows up at a secluded mountain temple. There was a tengu who used an Invisibility Cape to pull pranks on people. Source: crunchyroll

Recap Episode

A boy travels with some animals, a frogs croak is explained, and the fountain of youth is found. Source: crunchyroll

An old man has a bump. A lazy man wants a life of ease. The God of Wealth's hammer is missing its handle. Source: crunchyroll

A boy named Kintarou wrestles a bear. A thunder god is taught a lesson. A master liar deceives people. Source: crunchyroll

A teapot holds a dark secret. A man solves a complicated riddle. A complex pun involving tea and sieves. Source: crunchyroll

Rice balls roll. A monster lurks in a hot springs. A man's head becomes a lake. Source: crunchyroll

A man goes to an undersea palace. A crane leaves his poop as a present. Gosuke makes money in an unusual way. Source: crunchyroll

A small boy fights a demon. The wind god takes children to a mystical land. A lord goes thumpity-thump. Source: crunchyroll

Three talismans protect a boy. A monkey throws rocks. A rat finds a husband for his daughter. Source: crunchyroll

It's princess week on Folktales from Japan! A princess returns to the moon. A princess has a bowl on her head. A princess has no hair. Source: crunchyroll

A crab seeks revenge on a monkey. A demon devours shadows. A boundary is lost. Source: crunchyroll

An old man makes flowers bloom. A lazy man is visited by a sea monster. Two foxes compare their disguises. Source: crunchyroll

A crane repays a debt. A lazy woman is visited by terrible ghosts. A monster and a mountain granny terrorize a village. Source: crunchyroll

On New Year's Eve, a poor couple struggles to bring in the new year. A woman is told not to let the fire go out on New Year's Eve, but... Minokichi and Mokichi take shelter from the blizzard, when a mysterious woman appears before them. So…

A man buys dreams that lead to wealth. A badger longs for a mother's warmth. A god promises health if people will stop tripping over his head. Source: crunchyroll

Yams are rolled, mistakenly. A toad's oil cures wounds. A greedy man pleads for mercy from the sun. Source: crunchyroll

The Rat Sutra scares off a thief. A snake is struck down by the gods. A wife sacrifices her life to the gods to finish the harvest. Source: crunchyroll

A fire man brings gold. A priest sacrifices himself to bring the rain. A man carries a mountain. Source: crunchyroll

A priest statue heals hearing. A cow goes into a swamp. A man cuts reeds. Source: crunchyroll

A ghost raises a child. A man freezes in the snow while he waits for his love. A fox plays tricks. Source: crunchyroll