The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter: Japan’s Oldest Folktale and the Origins of Princess Kaguya
What if the most beautiful woman on Earth was not of this world at all?
In a quiet bamboo grove, a glowing stalk is split open—revealing a tiny, radiant girl destined to enchant emperors and break hearts. Known as Princess Kaguya, she is at the center of Japan’s oldest folktale, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Taketori Monogatari), a story of mystery, beauty, and celestial origins that dates back over a thousand years.
Often called the birth of Japanese fiction, this legendary tale weaves together fantasy and folklore in a narrative that still resonates today—with themes of love, loss, and the longing for a world beyond our own.
A Mysterious Beginning: The Shining Girl from a Bamboo Stalk
The story begins in a quiet bamboo grove, where an elderly bamboo cutter named Taketori no Okina finds a glowing stalk of bamboo. Inside, he discovers a tiny, radiant girl no larger than his hand. He and his wife raise her as their own, naming her Kaguya-hime, or "the shining princess of supple bamboo."
From that day forward, every bamboo he cuts reveals gold, quickly making the family wealthy.
Legendary Suitors and Impossible Trials
As Kaguya-hime’s beauty becomes legendary throughout the capital, five prominent noblemen request her hand in marriage. To test their devotion, she assigns each of them a mythical quest—retrieving legendary items thought to be impossible to obtain:
- The Buddha’s stone begging bowl
- A jeweled branch from the mythical Mount Hōrai
- A robe made from fire-rat fur
- A jewel from a dragon’s neck
- A shell from a nesting swallow
All suitors ultimately fail, exposing their dishonesty or the true danger of their quests.
The Emperor’s Love and the Secret of the Moon
Even the Emperor of Japan hears of Kaguya-hime’s unmatched beauty and invites her to the imperial court. Although he personally visits and is deeply moved by her presence, she declines his offer, choosing to stay with her foster parents.
As the full moon rises, Kaguya-hime grows sorrowful, revealing that she is from the Moon Kingdom and must soon return. Despite efforts by the Emperor’s soldiers to protect her, celestial beings descend to take her back.
A Tearful Goodbye and the Legacy of Mount Fuji
Before leaving, Kaguya-hime pens farewell letters and gives the Emperor a gift: an elixir of immortality. Clad in a celestial robe, she forgets her earthly emotions and ascends to the moon, leaving behind grief-stricken loved ones.
In his sorrow, the Emperor chooses not to drink the elixir, instead ordering it to be burned atop the tallest mountain in Japan. That mountain, now known as Mount Fuji, is said to derive its name from fushi (immortality). According to legend, smoke once rose from its peak, symbolizing the Emperor’s undying love for Kaguya-hime.
Timeless Themes and Modern Adaptations
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter resonates with timeless themes—love, loss, impermanence, and the divide between heaven and earth. Its enduring popularity has inspired modern retellings in books, theater, anime, and film, such as Studio Ghibli’s acclaimed The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.
More than a millennium later, this ancient story continues to captivate global audiences with its poetic beauty and philosophical depth.