壇ノ浦の鬼火The Ghost Fires of Dan no Ura

About this story

After the Heike clan's defeat at Dannoura, ghost fires and vengeful crabs haunt the shore.

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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): 「赤い鳥代表作集　2」小峰書店
1958（昭和33）年11月15日第1刷
1982（昭和57）年2月15日第21刷

Typed in by 林　幸雄. Proofread by 川山隆.

Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.

The furigana are Yomimaru's. In the app it is split into 6 parts.

What you'll learn

The defeat of the Heike clan at Dan-no-ura leads to strange occurrences like ghost crabs and will-o'-the-wisps. To calm the spirits, a temple is built and a high priest is stationed there.

A blind biwa priest named Hōichi, famous for his rendition of the Dan-no-ura battle, lives at the Amidaji temple. One spring evening, while alone, a mysterious samurai summons him to perform for a noble lord.

Hōichi is led to a grand mansion where he performs the Dan-no-ura tale. The audience, including the lord, is deeply moved. After his performance, an old woman asks him to return for six nights to play again, but requests secrecy.

Key vocabulary

平家へいけ	the Heike clan
壇だんノ浦うら	Dan-no-ura, location of a famous sea battle
びわ法師ほうし	biwa priest (blind musician)
鬼火おにび	will-o'-the-wisp; ghostly flame
耳みみなし	earless

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～てからというもの N1Ever since; from the time that (emphasizing a change that occurred after that point)

  壇だんノ浦うらのもくずときえてからというもの、この壇だんノ浦うらいったいには、いろいろのふしぎなことがおこり

• ～とあって N1Because it is; given that; (used to explain a situation)

  この当時とうじは、武士ぶしのことばに、そうむやみにそむくわけにはいきませんでしたので

• ～ごとき N1Such as; like; (humble or belittling expression)

  使つかいのものじゃ

• ～げ N3Seems; appears; -ish (attached to adjectives to show appearance)

  悲かなしげな苦くるしげな声こえが上あがり

• ～ず N3Without doing; not doing (negative form of ～ない, used in literary/formal contexts)

  声こえもだせませんでした

Cultural notes

• The Tale of the Heike (平家物語)An epic account of the rise and fall of the Heike clan, a key work of Japanese literature. The story of Hōichi is closely tied to this tale, as Hōichi performs the 'Battle of Dan-no-ura' section.
• Biwa Hōshi (びわ法師)Blind monks who traveled and recited tales accompanied by the biwa, a Japanese lute. They were key in spreading stories like The Tale of the Heike. Hōichi is a famous fictional example.
• Dan-no-ura Battle (壇ノ浦の戦い)A decisive naval battle in 1185 where the Heike clan was defeated by the Genji, leading to the death of Emperor Antoku. The supernatural events in the story are said to originate from this battle.

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