Japanese folktales

Common card · No. 443720

Japanese folktales are traditional folk narratives of Japan, primarily transmitted orally. Among the best-known Japanese folktales are Momotarō, The Crab and the Monkey, Shita-kiri Suzume, Hanasaka Jiisan, and Kachi-kachi Yama, which are often collectively known as the "five great folktales" (五大昔話, Go-dai Mukashi banashi). In its strict sense, the term refers to orally transmitted folk narratives. However, it is commonly used more broadly to include literary tales, particularly those written during the Middle Ages, that have long been associated with Japanese folklore. Notable examples are The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter and medieval such as the Konjaku Monogatarishū and Uji Shūi Monogatari, which preserve early literary versions of many stories that also survive in oral tradition. The terminology used for Japanese folktales has changed over time. The systematic collection of Japanese folktales was pioneered by folklorist Kunio Yanagita. During the Edo period, they were commonly known as...

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