Japanese Horror Stories
Urashima-taro
Urashima Taro ( ⁇ ) is a Japanese legend about a fisherman named Urashima Taro. He is invited to the Sea Palace (Ryu Palace) after rescuing a turtle.
In the historical record of Tango Province (Tango no kuni fudoki) there is a story titled Urashima no ko ( ⁇ )[1], but it tells of eight angels who descended from the sky. In addition, the story of Urashima Taro is mentioned in Nihon Shoki and Man'yoshu[1]. The story that people now know is the Otogizoshi version from the Muromachi period. As is common folklore, different regions of Japan each have their own version of Urashima Taro.
The life of Urashima Taro in the Sea Palace as told in Otogizoshi is considered unsuitable for children, so it is cut when used as a child's story. In 1910, the Japanese Ministry of Education incorporated the Urashima Taro story into official textbooks for grade 2 elementary school students, and continued to remain in textbooks for 40 years.[1]
Storyline
Otogizoshi VersionEdit
In Tango Province, there lived a fisherman named Urashima Taro. One day, he went fishing but the one who was caught was a turtle. Taro released the turtle back into the sea after remembering, "turtle said can live up to 10,000 years, pity if killed." A few days later, a woman approached the beach by rowing her own boat. An elder asks Taro to welcome the woman who turns out to be a princess' servant. As a thank you for the turtles that have been helped, Taro was invited to go to the Sea Palace. Accompanied by the princess' maid, Taro takes a boat to the Sea Palace. Upon arrival, Taro is welcomed by the princess, and lives with her for 3 years. However, Taro wants to go home out of concern for his father and mother who were left in his hometown. The princess finally admitted that she was a turtle that Taro had helped. As a parting gift, the princess gave her a jewelry box (amatebako). After Taro arrived at his hometown, the village he used to live in was no longer there. After asking him here and there, Taro was told that on the hill there was the tomb of Taro and his parents. Taro was so sad, and opened the box from the princess. Smoke came out three times from the box. Taro turns into a level bird, and flies away.
Derived version of OtogizoshiEdit
A fisherman named Urashima Taro helped a turtle who was being tortured by a flock of children. In gratitude for being helped, the turtle invited Taro to visit the Sea Palace. Riding a turtle, Taro went to the Sea Palace on the seabed. There, Taro meets a beautiful princess at the Sea Palace named Princess Oto. Like a dream, Taro accompanied Princess Oto for several days. Until finally Taro wants to go home. Princess Oto prevented him, but knew his efforts would be in vain. Princess Oto gave her a jewelry box (tamatebako), and ordered that the box not be opened. Riding a turtle, Taro arrives back in his hometown. But everyone she knew no longer existed. Taro was astonished, then opened the gift box from Princess Oto. Smoke came out of the box, and Taro instantly turned into a very old man. According to the calculation of time on the ocean floor, Taro only stayed for a few days. But according to the time on the mainland, Taro was gone for 700 years.
In this version of the story, Taro's subsequent fate is not told.
Version Man'yoshuEdit
In Man'yoshu volume 9 there is a prose by Takahashi no Mushimaro which is a prototype of the Urashima Taro story. Urashima no ko by Mizu no e. After returning from fishing for 7 days, he met the daughter of the sea god named Princess Turtle. Once familiar, the two married and lived in the palace of the sea god. After living there for 3 years, he wanted to go home to tell his father and mother the happy news of his marriage. Before leaving, the princess gave him a box called a tamatebako. Upon arrival in his hometown, village, villagers, and the house he used to live in is no longer there. He thought that if the gift box from the princess was opened, everything would return to how it was. When the box was opened, smoke came out, and instantly his hair became all gray. Urashima no ko was already a very old man and died.
