The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter

In ancient Japan, there was an old bamboo cutter named Taketori no Okina, which means "the Old Man who Harvests Bamboo." He lived a simple life with his wife in the mountains, cutting bamboo stalks and making a modest living by crafting bamboo wares and selling them in nearby villages. Though they lived comfortably enough, the couple had no children and often lamented this, as they had no one to pass their wisdom and love to. It was a quiet, peaceful life, yet marked with an undercurrent of sorrow.

One day, while in the forest collecting bamboo, Taketori no Okina came upon a most peculiar sight. He noticed a single bamboo stalk glowing faintly, as though lit from within by a soft, golden light. Intrigued, the old man approached the shining stalk and, with his well-worn knife, carefully cut it open. To his astonishment, inside the hollow of the bamboo sat a tiny, radiant girl no larger than his thumb. She glowed with a divine luminescence, and her beauty was beyond anything he had ever seen.

Moved by the miracle, the old man gently picked up the little girl and took her home, showing her to his wife. His wife was just as astounded, and they both felt this child was a gift from the heavens, sent to fill the void in their hearts. They named her Kaguya-hime, meaning "Radiant Princess." Though small and delicate, she began to grow rapidly, soon turning into a beautiful maiden of normal size.

Over the following months, Taketori no Okina’s fortunes began to change. Every time he cut into a bamboo stalk, he found gold coins or precious gems hidden within. The family became wealthy beyond their wildest dreams, and they knew it was a blessing brought upon them by the mysterious Kaguya-hime. They raised her with love and care, ensuring that she lacked for nothing.

But despite their wealth and happiness, there was always something otherworldly about Kaguya-hime. She was kind and generous, always helping her parents with their chores and showing great respect, but she would often stare longingly at the moon, her thoughts seemingly far away.

Years passed, and Kaguya-hime grew into the most beautiful woman in all of Japan. Word of her beauty spread far and wide, and soon noblemen, princes, and even the Emperor himself heard of her. They came from all corners of the land, bringing gifts and poems, hoping to win her heart. But Kaguya-hime refused them all, retreating into her home and rarely allowing anyone to see her.

Among her most persistent suitors were five princes, each of whom declared they would do anything to marry her. Though Kaguya-hime had no desire to wed any of them, she decided to give them impossible tasks in hopes that they would leave her in peace. She told the first prince that she would marry him if he could bring her the stone begging bowl used by the Buddha in India. To the second prince, she asked for a branch from the legendary jeweled trees on Mount Hōrai. The third prince was tasked with retrieving a robe made from the fur of fire rats, while the fourth was asked to find a jewel from the neck of a dragon. The fifth prince was told to bring her a shell that was said to be born from the swallows of a faraway island.

Each of the princes set out to fulfill these impossible tasks, believing their love for Kaguya-hime would lead them to success. But as expected, each failed in their quest. The first prince, instead of finding the Buddha's begging bowl, brought back a counterfeit. The second prince tried to trick Kaguya-hime with a fake jeweled branch. The third prince returned with what he claimed was a fire-rat's robe, but it was soon revealed to be a fake. The fourth prince gave up after hearing how dangerous the dragon was, and the fifth never returned, having perished in his quest.

Though the suitors failed and Kaguya-hime was relieved, her heart remained heavy. She continued to gaze up at the moon, her face growing sadder with each passing day.

One evening, as she sat by the window, staring at the moon with tear-filled eyes, her adoptive father approached her. “Kaguya-hime,” he said, his voice filled with concern, “I have noticed that you seem troubled. You gaze at the moon as though it holds some great secret. Please tell me, what is it that causes you such sorrow?”

After a long silence, Kaguya-hime finally revealed the truth. “Father, I am not of this world. I come from the Moon, sent here as a punishment. My time with you has been a blessing, and I have grown to love you and Mother more than anything. But soon, I must return to the Moon, to the place I truly belong.”

Taketori no Okina was devastated. He and his wife had come to love Kaguya-hime as their own daughter, and the thought of losing her was unbearable. “Is there nothing we can do to keep you here?” he asked desperately.

But Kaguya-hime shook her head. “There is nothing that can be done. My time on Earth is coming to an end, and soon, the celestial beings from the Moon will come for me.”

The news spread quickly, and even the Emperor, who had fallen deeply in love with Kaguya-hime despite her refusals, was heartbroken. He sent his warriors to guard Kaguya-hime’s home, hoping to prevent the moon people from taking her away. But Kaguya-hime knew that it was futile. The day of her departure came, and a bright, glowing cloud descended from the sky, carrying with it a group of celestial beings. The soldiers and guards tried to fight them off, but they were powerless against the divine beings.

As Kaguya-hime prepared to leave, she gave her parents one final tearful farewell. “I will never forget the love you have shown me,” she said, pressing a letter and a small vial of elixir into her father's hands. “Please give these to the Emperor.”

Then, with a heavy heart, she ascended to the heavens, disappearing into the moonlit sky.

Taketori no Okina and his wife were inconsolable, their home once filled with warmth and love now empty without their beloved Kaguya-hime.

The Emperor, upon receiving Kaguya-hime’s letter and the elixir of immortality, was overwhelmed with grief. Though the elixir promised eternal life, he could not bear the thought of living forever without her. In a grand gesture of his love and sorrow, he ordered his men to take the elixir and the letter to the highest mountain in the land and burn them, hoping that his message would reach Kaguya-hime on the Moon.

The men did as they were instructed, climbing to the summit of what is now known as Mount Fuji, and set the letter and elixir aflame. As the smoke rose high into the sky, it was said to have reached the Moon, where Kaguya-hime now resided.

To this day, it is believed that the smoke from Mount Fuji’s active volcano is a remnant of the Emperor’s eternal love for Kaguya-hime, rising toward the heavens in hopes that she might see it from the Moon.

Though the tale of Kaguya-hime is filled with sorrow, it also serves as a reminder of the impermanence of life and the acceptance of fate. The bamboo cutter and his wife, despite their grief, found solace in the knowledge that they had been blessed with Kaguya-hime’s presence, even if only for a short time. The Emperor, though heartbroken, chose to honor Kaguya-hime’s memory by letting go of the promise of immortality, a symbol of his enduring love for her.

As time passed, the story of the bamboo cutter and the mysterious princess spread across Japan, becoming one of the country's most beloved and enduring folktales. The legend of Kaguya-hime continues to captivate hearts and minds, reminding us of the transient beauty of life and the longing for something beyond our reach.