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The Enchantment of Taketori Monogatari: Exploring The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Taketori Monogatari “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter” is a story of celestial beings, love, sacrifice, and adventure. This ancient tale is one of the most popular folklore in Japan, and in this post, we’ll explore it in detail. Read on to discover the origins, plot, and cultural impact of The Tale of Princess Kaguya.
Introduction:
Taketori Monogatari is an ancient Japanese folklore that was first created in the form of a fictional prose narrative. Written as far back as the 9th century, the story is the earliest example of extended prose narrative (monogatari) in Japanese literature. In English, it translates to “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.” The story is also called The Tale of Princess Kaguya, in reference to its main protagonist.
It details the origin and life of Princess Kaguya, a magical princess sent to earth from the moon. It all begins when a bamboo cutter discovers a miniature infant in the forest. He adopts the child as his own and it soon grows into a beautiful maiden, attracting five suitors looking to marry her. However, she cunningly rejects them by challenging them to complete impossible tasks in exchange for her hand in marriage. Even the Emperor of Japan fell for her, yet she refused to marry him. At the end of the story, Kaguya reveals her true nature and returns to her celestial home on the moon.
Origins of "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter"
Many aspects of Taketori Monogatari’s origin are shrouded in mystery. However, evidence suggests that the story was written in the late Heian period (794 -1185). Finding the author of the story has proven to be more tricky. However, some of the best scholars in the country have attributed it to a few famous poets and political figures.
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is a major precursor to a form of modern Japanese narrative known as monogatari. This prose narrative was a popular literary form between the 9th and 15th centuries. It was often written for oral narration, similar to the style of ghost stories. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is the oldest surviving monogatari, thanks to the discovery of a manuscript of the tale that was created in 1592. There are many other clues to support the idea, such as the presence of active volcanoes in the story. Since its creation, there have been many adaptations and revisions of the legend across various media. However, the main plot of the story remains intact.
Plot Overview of "The Tale of Princess Kaguya"
Once upon a time, Taketori no Okina, an old bamboo cutter, stumbled upon a strange-looking and shiny bamboo stalk. He cut it open, only to find a thumb-sized infant inside. Having no children of his own, the bamboo cutter and his wife decided to adopt the strange child. They called her Nayotake-no-Kaguya-hime, which translates to “Shining Princess of the Young Bamboo.” The man began to find small gold nuggets every time he cut a bamboo stalk in the forest. Soon, he became quite wealthy.
Kaguya did not grow the same as a normal baby. In three months, she had grown from an infant into a mature, regular-sized woman known as the Princess of Light. Her beauty was so radiant that word about her looks spread around the country, despite her adoptive father’s best efforts to prevent it. It didn’t take long for suitors to come for her hand in marriage, and among them were five nobles. An uninterested Kaguya gave the nobles five impossible tasks, one for each person. She promised to marry whichever of them could procure the following items:
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stone bowl of the Buddha
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jeweled branch from Horai Island.
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rope made from Chinese fire-rat skin
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colored jewel taken from a dragon’s neck
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cowry shell derived from the swallow bird
All five nobles either failed to get the items or abandoned the task all together. However, the Emperor of Japan fell in love with the beautiful maiden. He decided to propose marriage to her, but she rejected him. The two remained friends, however, often exchanging letters.
Three years later, she became so restless that she revealed the truth about her origins. She was sent to Earth from the moon as a form of punishment for a crime. The gold the bamboo cutter kept finding was a form of stipend for taking care of her, and soon she would have to return to the Moon.
On the day designated for her ascension, the Emperor sent guards to prevent it but they failed. Kaguya wrote a letter of apology to her parents and the Emperor. She also gave them gifts: a rope for her adoptive parents and an elixir of immortality for the Emperor. The guards watched helplessly as Kaguya ascended back to the Capital of the Moon (Tsuki no Miyako).
Stricken with grief, her parents fell sick. As for the Emperor, he became so sad after getting the letter from his guards that he ordered his army to take it to the mountain closest to heaven and burn it along with the immortality elixir. He did not wish to live an eternity without his love.
Because the Japanese word for immortality is “fushi,” many believe that this mountain became Mount Fuji. The mountain was more active in the past, and legend has it that the smoke it produced was from the burning of the letter and elixir by the Emperor’s army.
Themes and Symbolism in The Tale
Let’s explore some major themes of Taketori Monogatari and the lessons they teach.
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Fleeting nature of life and beauty: People in ancient Japan were always conscious of the fleeting beauty in life, and it was reflected in folklore that emerged at the time.
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Meaning of existence: The story invites us to contemplate the meaning of our existence on earth. Just like Kaguya, we’re all here to fulfil a purpose.
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Power of love and sacrifice: The Emperor’s relationship with Kaguya reinforces beliefs about the unrivalled power of love and sacrifice. He sacrificed his chance at immortality so he could send her a message and the result is the famous Mt. Fuji.
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Sorrow of parting: Goodbyes are never fun, and sometimes they can be sorrowful, as depicted in the tale. The bamboo cutter, his wife, and the Emperor were devastated by the loss of the princess.
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Quest for immortality: The story puts a spin on the universal theme of the quest for immortality. In it, a character gets a chance to become immortal but declines it because of the disadvantages that come with it.
The Character of Princess Kaguya
Princess Kaguya is one of the most multi-faceted characters in Japanese folklore. Was she good or evil, selfish or generous? Let’s explore the character development of Princess Kaguya, her mysterious allure, and her impact on the people around her.
It’s unclear at what point Princess Kaguya became aware of her celestial heritage. We can only assume that she was aware of it by the time she reached adulthood, which was only a few months after the bamboo cutter discovered her. She was initially deceitful, sending her suitors on impossible quests. Some of the tasks were life-threatening, putting the men in harm's way. The fifth suitor falls from a great height, trying to reach a swallow’s nest and dies.
Interestingly, she does not play the same games with the Emperor out of her respect and love for him. In the end, she matures enough to be honest with the people in her life. Kaguya-hime reveals her secrets, acknowledges that she has hurt her loved ones, and seeks forgiveness for her deceit.
Cultural Impact of the Story
The story of the bamboo cutter is considered a classic example of traditional prose narrative in Japanese literature. As the “ancestor of monogatari literature,” it serves as a source of inspiration for modern Japanese fiction. Also, there are fairytale versions of the story sold as children’s books. The main character, Princess Kaguya, is the inspiration for countless other characters in anime, manga, and contemporary media.
Artistic Depictions of Taketori Monogatari
The tale has been depicted in various forms of art. There are paintings dating as far back as the 17th century that illustrate powerful scenes from the narrative, such as when Taketori no Okina brings Kaguya to his home, when he discovers her among the bamboo, or her heavenly ascension. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, a famous Japanese printmaker, was famous for his iconic ukiyo-e woodblock prints in the 18th century. He made a popular print in 1888 that depicted the princess ascending to the moon in all her celestial glory. If you'd like to see more simple illustrations of the tale and its characters, you’ll find them in Japanese fairytale books from the 20th and 21st centuries.
Modern Adaptations in Media
Thanks to the popularity of the story in Japan and the rest of the world, mainstream media hardly passes up on a chance to adapt it into films, anime, and manga. The following are some of the most famous modern adaptations of Taketori Monogatari:
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The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013 anime): Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli released a modern animated treasure largely based on Taketori Monogatari. Famous for its exquisite visual beauty, it was the most expensive Japanese film at the time and earned an Academy Award nomination for best animated feature.
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Princess Kaguya (1935 live-action film): This musical drama was one of the first classic films based on the legend. The plot closely followed the narrative of traditional folklore but took some creative liberties.
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Queen Millennia (1980 manga): Leiji Matsumoto created a Japanese seinen manga with the alternate title of “The New Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.” The manga was later adapted into an anime series on Fuji TV network that ran from 1981 to 1982.
Taketori Monogatari in Education
Schools in Japan require students to read and memorize passages from classic literature. Taketori Monogatari is a common fictional piece in the educational curriculums of students in the early years of Japanese junior high. They may also act out the story in school plays.
Literature, theater art, and drama majors studying in Japanese universities are all too familiar with the narrative structure and literary techniques employed in the tale because it’s often an essential part of their curriculum. Educational institutions that teach Japanese culture and language to foreigners use classical literature, like Taketori Monogatari.
Festivals and Celebrations
Festivities associated with bamboo and the moon have come to feature events that commemorate Taketori Monogatari. The Japanese Moon Festival takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month and is filled with activities that reference Princess Kaguya. The common belief is that this was the day she returned to the moon, although the festival originated in China. Moon viewing or tsukimi, is a popular activity during the festival. People also give offerings to the moon, display susuki decorations, and eat tsukimi dango.
Some regions have bamboo festivals, where they carry bamboo lanterns and pay homage to the Taketori Monogatari story. In 2019, the Itoshima Taketori Monogatari Festival, a popular bamboo festival, featured 6,000 bamboo lanterns in Marutaike Park, Fukuoka.
Comparative Mythology: Princess Kaguya and Global Moon Myths
Some elements in the story of Princess Kaguya were drawn from moon-related myths from other cultures. The tale uses universal themes related to fiction about mythical creatures from the moon, such as flight, beauty, and immortality.
The Chinese story of Chang'e may have originated in the second century, but it uses the same themes as Japan’s Taketori Monogatari. In the legend of Chang'e, a mythical being (xian) lost her immortality by coming to earth. She then attempts to recover it by stealing an elixir of immortality.
Conclusion:
With so many modern adaptations, Taketori Monogatari has left a lasting legacy in Japanese mythology. There’s every chance that we can expect more adaptations in the future. The legend has more than enough depth for you to explore. Find as many updates and remakings of the tale as you can to enjoy its rich tapestry. You can also look at lore about other legendary creatures with supernatural powers, such as the raccoon dog, crane, and turtle.
While you explore Asian culture through Japanese folktales and legends, take some time to find the perfect gift for your loved one. Check out Bokksu Boutique to find our collection of authentic gifts from Japan.
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