The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter | Kaguya Hime

Once upon a time, in ancient Japan, there lived an old bamboo cutter named Taketori no Okina. Every day, he went to the forest to cut bamboo, selling it in the nearby village to earn a modest living. He and his wife were childless, and though they had lived a long, peaceful life, they often wished for the joy of having a child.

One bright morning, while cutting bamboo, Taketori no Okina noticed a glowing stalk. It shimmered like gold in the sunlight. Curious, he carefully split the bamboo open, and to his amazement, he found a tiny, radiant baby girl, no larger than his hand, sitting inside.

Taketori no Okina (in awe): "What a beautiful child! This must be a gift from the heavens."

He rushed home with the tiny girl cradled in his hands and showed her to his wife. They both were overjoyed and decided to raise her as their own daughter. They named her Kaguya-hime, meaning "Shining Princess." From the moment she arrived, their home was filled with happiness and light. Mysteriously, every time Taketori no Okina cut a stalk of bamboo after that day, he would find gold inside, making the family rich and prosperous.

As the days passed, the little girl grew quickly. In just a few months, Kaguya-hime had become a beautiful young woman, with long, flowing black hair and skin that seemed to glow like the moon. Her beauty was unlike anything anyone had ever seen, and soon, word of her radiance spread far and wide.

Many suitors from noble families came to ask for her hand in marriage, but Kaguya-hime was not interested in any of them. She wanted nothing to do with their wealth or titles. Yet, the suitors persisted, so Kaguya-hime decided to test their devotion. She set each of them an impossible task, hoping they would leave her in peace.

Kaguya-hime: "If you truly wish to marry me, bring me the jeweled branch from the island of Horai, the stone bowl from the Buddha of India, and other rare treasures."

Each task was more difficult than the last, involving distant lands and mythical objects that were nearly impossible to find. Despite their initial enthusiasm, none of the suitors succeeded. Some returned empty-handed, while others never returned at all. Kaguya-hime was relieved, for she did not desire marriage or the attention of these men. However, her mysterious behavior made her parents worry.

One summer night, as Kaguya-hime gazed at the full moon, a tear rolled down her cheek. Her parents, noticing her sadness, asked her what troubled her.

Taketori no Okina: "My dear Kaguya-hime, why do you cry? You have everything here—love, wealth, and a peaceful life."

Kaguya-hime hesitated, but she knew the time had come to reveal the truth.

Kaguya-hime: "I am not from this world. I was sent here from the Moon Kingdom as punishment for a past misdeed. My time on Earth is nearly over, and soon I must return to my home in the sky."

Her parents were heartbroken at this revelation. They had raised her as their own and couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. Kaguya-hime, too, had grown to love her life on Earth and the people who had cared for her. But she knew she could not escape her fate.

As the nights passed, the emperor of Japan himself, having heard of Kaguya-hime’s beauty, came to visit her. He, too, fell deeply in love with her and pleaded for her hand in marriage. But Kaguya-hime gently refused.

Kaguya-hime: "My lord, I am not meant for this world. I cannot stay, no matter how much you wish it."

Though disappointed, the emperor respected her wishes and promised to protect her in any way he could.

When the full moon of autumn approached, Kaguya-hime knew her time had come. One night, as she stood in the garden, a procession of celestial beings descended from the moon in a cloud of light. They were dressed in radiant robes, their faces serene and otherworldly. They had come to take her back to the Moon Kingdom.

Taketori no Okina and his wife clung to Kaguya-hime, weeping.

Taketori no Okina: "Please, do not leave us, Kaguya-hime! You are our daughter!"

Kaguya-hime, moved by their love, embraced them one last time. She handed them a small vial of an elixir, a gift from the moon.

Kaguya-hime: "This is the Elixir of Immortality. You will never grow old or die, but I cannot stay."

Though the old couple wanted nothing more than to keep her, they knew they could not hold her back from her true home. With a heavy heart, Kaguya-hime bade farewell to her parents, thanking them for the love and care they had given her.

As she was lifted into the sky by the moon’s emissaries, her glow became brighter and brighter, until she disappeared into the heavens. The bamboo cutter and his wife watched until she was no longer visible, their hearts heavy with sorrow.

The emperor, too, was devastated by her departure. He ordered that the Elixir of Immortality be taken to the highest mountain in Japan and burned at its peak, for he could not bear the thought of living forever without Kaguya-hime.

From that day on, the mountain became known as Mount Fuji, and some say the smoke that rises from its peak is the memory of Kaguya-hime’s celestial presence.