作品Free Graded Reading
提灯The Paper Lantern
Chōchin
by 田中 貢太郎 · Tanaka Kōtarō
JLPT N1Short StoryQuiz ready
A group of friends hear a chilling story about a self-rotating lantern, then embark on a night journey to a seaside inn.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnThe narrator recounts a ghostly experience during a late-night trip to a coastal town. After hearing a strange story about a spinning lamp, a group of friends impulsively travel by train and walk through the dark. They meet a student named Nishimori, who lends them a lantern, only to later realize he had died a month earlier.
Language difficultyIntermediate-Advanced · 65/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 懐 (ふところ) | bosom; pocket; (financial) situation |
|---|---|
| お思召 (おぼしめし) | favor; inclination; liking |
| 地球儀 (ちきゅうぎ) | globe (of the Earth) |
| 駒下駄 (こまげた) | wooden clogs with a single thick tooth |
| 角帽 (かくぼう) | square cap (worn by university students) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～ということがもとになって N1This phrase means 'triggered by the fact that...' or 'with that as the starting point...'山本の話がもとになって、いろいろと神秘的な話に入ってそれから夜の旅行と云うことになったのです。
- ～ない（か） N4Negative question form used to suggest or invite, often with explanatory tone.火が見えたね。「人家があるだろうか」「提灯じゃないか」
- ～てから N5After doing... (sequential action).洗ってから食べます。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- 怪談 (Ghost Stories)This story is a classic example of a kaidan, a traditional Japanese ghost story often told in the summer to evoke chills. The narrative structure involves a group of friends sharing eerie experiences, leading to a supernatural encounter.
- 本郷 (Hongo)Hongo is a district in Tokyo known for its university (University of Tokyo) and student culture. The story begins at a bar in Hongo, highlighting the bohemian lifestyle of students in the early 1900s.
- 海水浴場 (Seaside Resort)The destination is a seaside resort, popular for summer bathing. The friends' impulsive trip reflects a common pastime of escaping the heat of Tokyo.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat did Yamamoto claim the lamp did under the tree?
- It spun like a globe
- It went out suddenly
- It broke into pieces
- It changed color
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipBreak down long sentences by identifying the main verb and clause markers like て、から、ので.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese八月の中比で国へ帰る連中はとうに帰ってしまい、懐の暖かな連中は海岸へ往ったり山へ往ったり、東京にいるのは金のない奴か物臭か、其のあたりのバーの女給にお思召をつけている奴か、それでなければ僕等のように酒ばかり飲み歩いている奴ばかりなのでしたよ。ある晩例によって僕と、も一人の友人とで、本郷三丁目のバーで飲んでいると、二人の仲間がやって来たんです。其処で四人の者がいっしょになって飲んでいるうちに、「これから、何処かへ旅行しようじゃないか」と云いだして、気まぐれな連中の揃いだから、好かろうと云うことになって、とうとう其処から電車に乗って東京駅へ往ったのです。それで一つお話しておかないといけないことは、其の時いっしょに往った山本と云う男が酒を飲んでるうちに変なことを云いだしたのです。
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