作品Free Graded Reading
五色蟹The Five-Colored Crab
Goshikigani
by 岡本 綺堂 · Okamoto Kidō
A detective investigates a mysterious five-colored crab.
About this story
About this storyA narrator shares a reader's firsthand account of a mysterious incident reminiscent of a detective story.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in JapaneseSource
SourceThis 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): 「伝奇ノ匣2 岡本綺堂妖術伝奇集」学研Ｍ文庫、学習研究社
2002（平成14）年3月29日初版発行
Typed in by 川山隆. Proofread by 門田裕志.
Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, and replaced classical grammar with its modern form.
The furigana are Yomimaru's.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnThe narrator introduces a story sent by a reader named T. T and his friends arrive at a hot spring inn in Izu. They find a colorful crab, which later escapes to the neighboring room of female students, leading to a playful interaction.
Tamiya recounts seeing Kojima Kame's head in the bath at midnight. That night, the crab reappears on Tamiya's chest. Two female students go to the bath, and a woman finds two heads floating, which then vanish. One student, Kojima Kame, is found dead at the bottom of the bath.
An investigation begins. A police officer suspects foul play. Ensen learns from an old fisherman the legend of the 'abata crab' (pockmarked crab), which is cursed. The story ends with Ensen seeing the crab again and being warned not to harm it.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 山椒の魚 | Sansho fish (a type of fish) |
|---|---|
| 蟹 | crab |
| 五色蟹 | five-colored crab |
| 祟り | curse |
| あばた蟹 | pockmarked crab (legendary crab) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～てしまう N4Indicates completion of an action, often regrettably or unintentionally.
蟹は箱の中からどうしてか抜け出して、おそらく縁伝いに隣りへ這い込んだのであろう。
- ～かもしれない N4Expresses possibility; 'might' or 'may'.
風呂へ行くんじゃあないかしら。
- ～たことがある N5Indicates having experienced something in the past.
わたしはまだ一度もあなたにお目にかかったことがありません。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Hot Spring (Onsen) CultureIn Japan, hot spring inns (温泉旅館) often have large communal baths. It is common for guests to bathe late at night to avoid crowds. The story mentions midnight baths, reflecting this practice.
- Legend of the Pockmarked Crab (あばた蟹)A local legend about a woman with pockmarks who drowned herself and was reborn as a beautiful crab. Touching it is said to bring a curse. This story reflects traditional Japanese beliefs about spirits and curses.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat did Honda catch on the beach?
- A fish
- A crab
- A sea shell
- A starfish
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to the use of descriptive language, especially for the crab and the bath scenes, to enhance imagery.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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