Japanese Ghost Stories (original) (raw)

Once upon a time there was a man who left his home in Kyoto late one night to make a journey to Nagoya. On the outskirts of Kyoto he came to a crossroads and there he saw a very well dressed and beautiful woman standing all alone. It was very late at night. It seemed strange to find a woman there by herself at such an hour, but he assumed she must have people looking after her safety, and he continued on his way. But then the woman stopped him. “Where are you going?” she asked.

“I’m going to Nagoya.”

“You must be in a hurry,” she said “to be traveling so late at night. Please. Stop for a while. I have something important I need to ask you.”

Although he was in a hurry to leave, he was a gentleman. “All right then, what can I do for you?”

“Where is the house of Minbu no Taihu? I want to visit him, but I’m completely lost. Do you know where he lives?”

In fact, he did. “His house is over there.” He said, pointing off into the distance. “I’d like to help you, really, but I’m in such a hurry. I can’t take you there now. I’m very sorry.”

“It’s very important to me!” she pleaded. “You must bring me there. Please!”

What could he do? He couldn’t abandon her on the road in the middle of the night. Resentfully, he gave in and she followed after him, silently. He was very uncomfortable around her, though he couldn't figure out why. There was just something about her, some indefinable thing, that seemed not only wrong, but possibly even dangerous. Poor woman, he thought, maybe that's just the way she come across to other people..

He walked her to a closed gate in front of a house. “This is the house of Minbu no Taihu.”

She thanked him over and over. “Listen,” she said, “I’m the daughter of Kimatoru Shoto, living in the town of Shiga. When you pass by my house, you must stop by and visit. Please.”

“I don’t know.” he said turning towards the road. “Maybe if ? “ he turned to her, but she had vanished like a bubble.

The astonished man stood by the gate, looking around wildly. He looked at the house, and thought about going in, when suddenly there came a loud crying and wailing from inside. As he listened, it became clear that someone had just died.

He wasn’t in a hurry anymore. He waited anxiously by the gate until dawn. In the morning he went to the house and inquired of a servant inside what had happened.

“My master had a wife once in Shiga," said his friend. "But he deserted her for another woman and moved here. The Ikiryo (Living ghost) spirit of the former wife came in this area looking for her, and suddenly the new wife became seriously ill." The servant shivered, and looked all around. His voice dropped to a careful whisper. "Last night, around dawn, the new wife suddenly cried out 'I can see her!' and then just collapsed and died. Just like that!" He snapped his fingers. "An Ikiryu can kill people that way."

Then the traveler understood. After Minbu no Taihu had deserted her for a new wife, the first wife had left her body and gone hunting for this new wife in her spiritual body, and innocently he had brought the hunter right to her unfortunate prey.

He felt frightened and remorseful over what he had done. He turned around and went straight back to Kyoto.

A few days later, when he had recovered himself, he began his trip again. When he came to Shiga, his curiosity overcame him and he sought out the house of Kimatoru Shoto as described by the ghost woman. When he found this house, he entered it and found her there hidden behind a misu screen. She thanked him again, and said gleefully “I'll never forget the joy of that night till the day I die, and even beyond into my next lifetime!"

She presented him gifts of fine delicacies, and bundles of rich silk cloth. He accepted the gifts, too terrified to refuse.