What JLPT level is 阿芳の怨霊?

阿芳の怨霊 is suitable for JLPT N1 level readers (estimated JLPT N1).

How long does 阿芳の怨霊 take to read?

阿芳の怨霊 takes about 19 minutes (around 1532 words) to read at a learner's pace.

作品さくひんFree Graded Reading

阿芳の怨霊Aho's Vengeful Spirit

Aho no Onryō

by 田中貢太郎 · Tanaka Kōtarō

JLPT N1Short StoryQuiz ready

A man survives a double suicide, only to be haunted by his lover's vengeful ghost.

About this story

A man survives a double suicide and flees, but is haunted by his lover's vengeful spirit.

Read a sample in Japanese

由よし平たいらは我わがにかえってからしまったと思おもった。由よし平たいらは怯れた自分じぶんの心こころを叱しかって、再ふたたび身みを躍おどらそうとした。と、その時とき背後はいごの方ほうから数すう人にんの話はなし声ごえが聞きこえて来きた。由よし平たいらは無意識むいしきに林はやしの中なかへ身みを隠かくした。間まもなく由よし平たいらの前まえに三さん人にんの人影ひとかげが現あらわれた。それは宇津江うづえ帰がえりらしい村むらの壮たけし佼であった。壮たけし佼たちは何なにか面白おもしろそうに話はなしながら通とおりすぎた。由よし平たいらはほっとした。そこは愛知あいち県けん渥美あつみ郡ぐん泉いずみ村むら江え此間かんの海岸かいがんであった。由よし平たいらはその村むらの油屋あぶらや九きゅう平たいらの娘むすめの阿おもね芳よしと心中しんじゅうを企くわだてたのであったが、泳およぎを知しっていたので夢中むちゅうで泳およいだものらしく、我わがにかえった時ときには、自分じぶん一いち人にんだけが波打なみうち際ぎわに身みを横よこたえていた。由よし平たいらは阿おもね芳よしだけ殺ころしてはすまないと思おもって、三さん度ど海うみの方ほうへ歩あるいて行いったが、黝ずんだ海うみの色いろを見みると急きゅうに怖気おじけがついた。由よし平たいらはじっとしていられないので村むらの方ほうへ向むかって走はしった。翌朝よくあさ阿おもね芳よしの死体したいは漁師りょうしの手てで拾ひろいあげられた。

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Source

This text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko

Base edition (底本): 「怪奇・伝奇時代小説選集3　新怪談集」春陽文庫、春陽堂書店
1999（平成11）年12月20日第1刷発行

Typed in by Hiroshi_O. Proofread by noriko saito.

Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, and replaced some archaic words with modern ones.

The furigana are Yomimaru's.

What you'll learn

Yoshihei survives a double suicide with Ayako and is haunted by her ghost. He flees to an inn, where the ghost appears, causing him to attack and kill the innkeeper and a maid. Years later, his niece experiences ghostly visits that stop after a Buddhist service. The cursed site remains untouched.

Language difficultyAdvanced · 85/100

Key vocabulary

我われにかえる	to come to oneself, regain consciousness
心中しんじゅう	double suicide (often lovers)
壮佼そうこう	strong young man
鬼魅きみが悪わるい	to feel eerie, creeped out
怨霊おんりょう	vengeful spirit

Grammar points you'll meet

～てはすまない N1Should not end with; indicates that something is not permissible or appropriate to leave as is.
由よし平たいらは阿おもね芳よしだけ殺ころしてはすまないと思おもって、
～ものの N3Although; indicates contrast between expectation and reality.
泳およぎを知しっていたので夢中むちゅうで泳およいだものらしく、
～とたん N3As soon as; indicates that something happens immediately after another action.
椀わんの蓋ふたを取とろうとしたところで、別べつな蒼あおい手てがすうっと来きて由よし平たいらの手てを押おさえた。
～せいで N3Because of; indicates a negative reason or cause.
泳およぎを知しっていたので夢中むちゅうで泳およいだものらしく、
～ように N4Like, as if; indicates similarity or manner.
何なにか面白おもしろそうに話はなしながら通とおりすぎた。

Cultural notes

Double Suicide (心中 - shinjū)A romanticized but tragic act of lovers dying together, often found in Japanese literature and theater. It was historically seen as a way to escape societal constraints, but also carried moral and legal consequences.
Vengeful Spirits (怨霊 - onryō)In Japanese folklore, spirits that died with strong emotions (especially anger or grief) seek revenge on the living. This concept is central to many ghost stories and often involves rituals to appease them.
Buddhist Memorial Services (お経をあげる - okyō o ageru)In Japanese Buddhism, reciting sutras for the deceased is believed to help calm their spirit and guide them to peace. It is commonly performed to stop hauntings or bring closure.

Try a comprehension question

What happens when Yoshihei first sees Ayako's ghost at the inn?

He calmly talks to her.
He throws dishes at her and screams.
He runs out of the inn immediately.
He offers her food and drink.

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Sensei's reading tip

Pay attention to the shift in perspective and time. The story covers multiple periods: the double suicide attempt, the inn incident, and the later niece episode.