The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Kaguya-hime)
A simple retelling of Japan's oldest surviving story
Chapter 1: A Glowing Bamboo in the Forest
How an old bamboo cutter found a tiny girl inside a shining stalk
Long ago, in a small village in Japan, there lived an old man who cut bamboo for a living. Everyone called him the bamboo cutter. He and his wife were kind people, but they were sad because they had no children.
One morning, the old man went to the bamboo forest as he did every day. This time, one stalk of bamboo was glowing with a soft golden light. He was surprised. He looked closer and cut it open carefully.
Inside the stalk sat a tiny girl, no bigger than his thumb. She was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen. The old man smiled. "You must be meant for us," he said gently. He placed her in his hands and carried her home to his wife.
Chapter 2: A Child Who Grew Up Very Fast
The tiny girl becomes a beautiful young woman and is given a name
The old couple loved the little girl as their own daughter. They kept her in a basket and cared for her every day. Strangely, she grew very fast. In only three months, she had become a young woman, tall and graceful.
From that time, something else strange happened. Whenever the old man cut bamboo, he found small pieces of gold inside the stalks. Little by little, his family became rich. They built a fine house and lived in comfort.
A wise man was asked to name the girl. He called her Kaguya-hime, which means "Shining Princess," because she seemed to give off a soft light. The old couple held a great feast that lasted three days, and people came from far and wide to celebrate.
Chapter 3: Five Suitors Come Knocking
News of her beauty spreads, and five noble men want to marry her
News of Kaguya-hime's beauty travelled across the land. Many men came to the house and stood outside the gate for days, hoping just to catch a glimpse of her. Slowly, most of them gave up and went home.
Five important men did not give up. They were princes and nobles, rich and powerful. Each one wanted to marry her.
The old man said, "My dear, it is time for you to marry. It is our wish to see you happy and settled." But Kaguya-hime shook her head. "I do not know these men's hearts," she said. "I will marry only the one who truly loves me." She decided to give each man a test. The tasks were so hard that they seemed impossible to complete.
Chapter 4: The First Three Tests, and Three Tricks
Three suitors try to cheat, and Kaguya-hime sees through them all
The first man was asked to bring the stone bowl that once belonged to the Buddha. He could not find it, so he bought an ordinary bowl from a temple and tried to pass it off as the real one. It did not shine at all, and Kaguya-hime sent him away.
The second man was asked to bring a branch of gold and jewels from a magical mountain. He secretly hired craftsmen to make a fake branch. Just as he was showing it to Kaguya-hime, the craftsmen arrived at the gate and asked to be paid for their work. His lie was out in the open, and he left in shame.
The third man was asked to bring a robe made from the fur of a fire rat, which could not burn. He paid a lot of money for a robe that a merchant swore was real. When it was thrown into a fire, it burned up at once.
Chapter 5: The Dragon's Jewel and the Swallow's Shell
The last two suitors face dangers and learn their dreams cannot come true
The fourth man was asked to bring a glowing jewel from the neck of a dragon. He set sail with his servants to find one. A terrible storm struck the ship, and the waves rose as high as mountains. Frightened, he gave up the quest and promised never to look for dragons again.
The fifth man was asked to bring a special shell that swallows were said to hold in their nests. He climbed up to a nest, hoping to grab it. But he slipped and fell, and what he held in his hand was not a shell at all. The fall hurt him badly, and the sad news made Kaguya-hime feel sorry for him.
By now, all five suitors had failed. Kaguya-hime remained unmarried, and the old couple still wondered what would become of her.
Chapter 6: The Emperor Takes Notice
Even the ruler of Japan cannot win her heart
The news of the beautiful girl reached the Emperor himself. He wanted to see her, so he visited the old man's house. When he saw Kaguya-hime, he was amazed. He felt that no one in his palace could compare to her.
The Emperor asked her to come and live in the palace. But Kaguya-hime refused. "I cannot go with you," she said quietly. "I am not like other people."
The Emperor was not angry. He was a gentle man, and he did not force her. Instead, they began to write letters and poems to each other. For three years they sent messages back and forth, and a quiet friendship grew between them. But Kaguya-hime always stayed in the bamboo cutter's house.
Chapter 7: A Girl Who Cried at the Moon
Kaguya-hime shares a secret she has kept for a very long time
As time went on, Kaguya-hime began to change. Whenever the moon rose in the night sky, she sat by herself and stared at it with tears in her eyes. Her foster parents grew worried. "What is wrong, child?" they asked.
At last, she told them the truth. "I do not belong to this world," she said. "I come from the Moon. I was sent to Earth for a short time, and now my people are coming to take me home. They will arrive on the fifteenth night of the eighth month."
The old couple cried and cried. "We will not let you go!" they said. They had loved her as their own, and the thought of losing her was too painful to bear.
Chapter 8: The Night the Moon People Came
Soldiers guard the house, but nothing can stop the visitors from the sky
When the Emperor heard the news, he was deeply troubled. He sent two thousand soldiers to guard the house on the night of the full moon. They stood on the roof and around the walls, their bows ready.
Kaguya-hime sat inside with her foster mother, who held her tightly. As midnight came, the whole sky glowed bright. A group of beings in shining clothes came down from the Moon on soft clouds. The soldiers' arms grew weak, and their arrows would not fly. No one could move.
A messenger from the Moon spoke kindly to Kaguya-hime. She was given a robe of feathers. Once she put it on, she would forget all her human feelings. Before she did, she wrote a letter to the Emperor and her parents. She also left a small bottle of the elixir of life for the Emperor. Then she put on the robe and rose into the sky, and she was gone.
Chapter 9: The Smoke Over Mount Fuji, and Why It Matters
The Emperor's sad choice and the lasting spirit of this ancient tale
The Emperor read her letter. He felt very sad. "What use is a long life if I cannot see her again?" he said. He ordered his men to take the letter and the elixir to the tallest mountain in the land and burn them there. The story says that smoke is still rising from that mountain today. That mountain is said to be Mount Fuji, and some say its name is linked to the Japanese words for "immortal" and "many soldiers."
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is about 1,000 years old, and it is often called the oldest surviving story of its kind in Japan. In 2013, Studio Ghibli made it into an acclaimed animated film, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, so new readers around the world still discover it today.
The story teaches us that the things we chase, such as riches, status and beauty, cannot always bring happiness, and that love and kindness matter most. It also reminds us that every moment with the people we love is precious, because nothing on Earth lasts forever.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter?
It is a classic Japanese story about a girl found inside a glowing bamboo stalk who grows up, rejects her suitors, and returns to the Moon. In Japanese it is called Taketori Monogatari. It is a folktale, not a religious myth.
How old is this story?
It dates to about the 10th century, so it is roughly 1,000 years old. The author is unknown. It is often called the oldest surviving Japanese prose narrative.
Who is Kaguya-hime?
Kaguya-hime means "Shining Princess" or "Radiant Night Princess." She is the girl from the Moon who lives with the bamboo cutter's family for a time.
Why did Kaguya-hime give her suitors impossible tasks?
She did not want to marry for wealth or status, and she wanted to see who truly loved her. Each task also showed the suitor's real character. Three of them tried to cheat, and the others gave up when things became hard or dangerous.
Why did she come to Earth, and why did she cry at the Moon?
In the story, she was sent to Earth for a time, and the reason is not fully explained. She wept because she knew she would have to leave the people she had grown to love.
What does the feather robe do?
When Kaguya-hime puts it on, she forgets her human feelings and attachments. This is why her return to the Moon is so bittersweet for those left behind.
What happened to the elixir of life?
The Emperor, heartbroken, did not drink it. He had it burned on the tallest mountain, along with her letter. This is the traditional explanation for the smoke said to rise from Mount Fuji.
How is the Studio Ghibli film different from the original?
The 2013 film, directed by Isao Takahata, follows the original story closely but adds more about Kaguya-hime's inner feelings and why she is sad. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Is the story similar to anything in Indian literature?
There are some parallels with stories we know: a child found in nature (like Sita in the fields), an impossible test for suitors (like Draupadi's swayamvara), and the idea of a heavenly being living briefly on Earth. These are only thematic similarities, since the tale is entirely Japanese in origin.
What is the main lesson of the story?
Wealth and fame do not bring true happiness, and the time we spend with people we love is the most valuable thing we have.
From Page to Screen: The 2013 Studio Ghibli Film
What to expect from The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, and why the book makes it even better
The Film at a Glance
- Title: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (Kaguya-hime no Monogatari)
- Director: Isao Takahata, co-founder of Studio Ghibli
- Released in Japan: 23 November 2013
- Runtime: 137 minutes, so about 2 hours 17 minutes
- Music: Joe Hisaishi, with the theme song sung by Kazumi Nikaido ("When I Remember This Life")
- Recognition: nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, though it lost to Disney's Big Hero 6
The Story in Short
The film follows the same path as the tale you just read. A bamboo cutter finds a tiny girl in a glowing bamboo stalk, and she grows up fast. Suitors come, she gives them impossible tasks, and in the end she must return to the Moon. The film follows the old story closely. What it adds is feeling, as it spends more time on how Kaguya-hime herself feels about her life on Earth.
What to Expect
- A painting that moves. It is hand drawn in a soft charcoal and watercolour style. The look is left deliberately unfinished, so your imagination fills in the details. Many viewers say it feels like watching a scroll painting come alive.
- A longer, slower journey. The film takes its time. It spends many quiet minutes on village life, the seasons and small joys. If you like fast action, this may test your patience, but the calm pace is what makes the ending hit so hard.
- New moments you won't find in the old tale. In the film, the village children call her Takenoko ("Little Bamboo"). There is also a village boy named Sutemaru, who is not in the original story. These additions make her love for the countryside feel real, and they make her loss feel bigger.
- Real emotion. The film asks a gentle question: what is a happy life? It is a story about freedom, family and growing up. It is rated PG, but younger children may find it slow and sad.
- Beautiful music. Joe Hisaishi's score matches every mood, from playful village scenes to the final farewell. This was the first and last time Takahata and Hisaishi worked together.
- A director's farewell. Takahata worked for eight years on this film, and it was his final film.
Why You Should Read the Book Too
Think of the film and the tale as two halves of one experience. The film shows you how Kaguya-hime feels. The original tale, Taketori Monogatari, shows you what the story is: the five suitors and their tricks, the Emperor's letters, the elixir of life and the smoke over Mount Fuji. Reading the tale first makes the film richer, because you will notice every detail Takahata kept and every change he made. Watching the film first makes the tale richer, because you will hear Kaguya's voice in every line.
So here is our suggestion. Read the story on Ekcupchai.in, then watch the film, and then, if you can, pick up a translation of the original book. Together they give you the full essence of Japan's oldest tale. Check which streaming service has the film in India, as availability changes from time to time.