作品Free Graded Reading
木曽の怪物The Monster of Kiso
Kiso no Kaibutsu
by 岡本 綺堂 · Okamoto Kido
JLPT N1Short StoryClassical / archaicQuiz ready
A hunter in the Kiso mountains encounters a mysterious duck that leads him to an illusionary pool.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnA hunter recounts three eerie incidents in the mountains of Nagano: a phantom duck leading to a cliff, a face appearing in a cooking pot, and a vision of a monk carrying giant tweezers. The hunter and his companions narrowly avoid disaster.
Language difficultyIntermediate · 60/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 怪物 (かいぶつ) | monster |
|---|---|
| 木霊 (こだま) | echo; tree spirit |
| 鉄砲 (てっぽう) | gun |
| 毛抜き (けぬき) | tweezers |
| 慄然 (りつぜん) | shuddering |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～たことがある N5Indicates past experience: 'have done something'.木曽の山奥へ鳥撃ちに出かけたことがございます。
- ～てくる N4Expresses movement toward the speaker: 'come and do' or 'begin to'.一頭、鮮血のしたたる鹿を担いでやって来て、
- ～そうだ (hearsay) N4Indicates hearsay: 'I hear that...'.ある日の夕暮れ、山の猟師が一頭、鮮血のしたたる鹿を担いでやって来て、どうか買ってくれと言う。
- ～ても N4Even if; regardless of.鴨は人を見ても飛び立ちもせず、驚きもせず、
- ～ず N3Negative form: 'without doing'.飛び立ちもせず、驚きもせず
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Meiji Era and SuperstitionThe story is set in Meiji 23 (1890), a time of rapid modernization but also persistent folk beliefs. The hunter's tales reflect traditional Japanese yokai (supernatural creatures) and the coexistence of rational and superstitious worldviews.
- Yokai and Mountain LoreJapanese mountains are often associated with mysterious beings like tengu, kappa, and other yokai. The 'monster' described in the story resembles a kitsune (fox spirit) or a tsukumogami (tool spirit), illustrating a deep cultural link between nature and the supernatural.
- Hunter Culture in NaganoNagano (Shinano) has a long history of hunting, especially in the Kiso region. Hunters often carried guns (teppo) and lived in close-knit groups, as depicted in the story. Their knowledge of the mountains and their dangers is a key cultural element.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat did the hunter and his companions see while cooking dinner?
- A giant duck
- A pale human face in the steam
- A monk with a large tweezers
- A deer full of blood
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to the framing narrative: the story begins with 'This is a story of my late father' and then shifts to the hunter's tale. Understanding the narrator structure helps follow the events.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japaneseこれは亡き父の物語である。時は去る明治二十三年の春三月、父はよんどころない用事があって信州の軽井沢へ赴き、およそ半月ほどもこの宿場町に逗留していた。東京では新暦のひな祭りも過ぎ、梅も大方は散り尽くした頃であるが、名に聞こえた信濃路は二月の末から大雪が降り続いて、宿屋の外へは一歩も踏出せないほどであった。毎日、炉を囲んで春の寒さに震えていると、ある日の夕暮れ、山の猟師が一頭、鮮血のしたたる鹿を担いでやって来て、どうか買ってくれと言う。そこで、その片股だけを買うことに決めて相当の代価を払い、「もしも暇なら遊びに来い」と言うと、田舎者らしい正直さで、その夜、彼は再び出直してきた。こちらも雪に降り込められて退屈していた折から、その猟師と炉を囲んでよもやま話に時を過ごしていると、猟師がこう言った。「私は何十年来、この商売をしていますが、この信州の山奥では時々不思議なことがあります。
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