Yomibunko

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魔の電柱The Demon Pole

Ma no Denchuu

by 田中 貢太郎 · Tanaka Kōtarō

JLPT N2Short StoryQuiz ready

A woman sees a bloody ghost on a streetcar and panics - but the pole she hits has a sinister reputation.

About this story

A woman on a streetcar claims she saw a bloody ghost, then injures herself on a pole known as the demon pole.

Read a sample in Japanese

昭和しょうわ十じゅう年ねん九月くがつ二に十じゅう八はち日にちの夜よるの八はち時じ頃ごろ、駒込こまごめ神明しんめい町まち行あるきの市電しでんが、下谷しもたに池いけの端はじの弁天べんてん前まえを進行しんこう中ちゅう、女おんなの乗客じょうきゃくの一いち人にんが、何なにかに驚おどろいたように不意ふいに悲鳴ひめいをあげて、逃にげ出だそうとでもするようにして上半身じょうはんしんを窓まどの外そとへ出だしたところで、そこにあったセンターポールで顔かおを打うって昏倒こんとうした。その女おんな客きゃくは浅草あさくさ区く西鳥越にしとりごえ町まちの市川いちかわ喜太郎きたろうと言いう人ひとの細君さいくんで、墓参ぼさんに行いっての帰途きとであった。市電しでんの方ほうでは驚おどろいて近ちかくの河野こうの病院びょういんへ担かつぎこんで手当てあてを加くわえ、悲鳴ひめいをあげて逃にげ出だそうとした事ことについて聞きいてみると、席せきの隣となりに全身ぜんしん血ちみどろになった幽霊ゆうれいがいたので、夢中むちゅうになって逃にげようとしたところであったと言いったが、その電柱でんちゅうは従来じゅうらい、毎月まいつき五ご六ろく名めいも頭あたまをぶつけて負傷ふしょうをするので魔まの電柱でんちゅうと言いわれているものであった。
Read the full text with furigana + instant lookups in Yomimaru →

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): 「伝奇ノ匣6　田中貢太郎日本怪談事典」学研Ｍ文庫、学習研究社
2003（平成15）年10月22日初版発行

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

In September 1935, a woman on a Tokyo streetcar suddenly screams, sticks her head out the window, and hits a pole, fainting. She later claims she saw a bloody ghost beside her. The pole is known as a 'demon pole' for causing many injuries.

Language difficultyIntermediate · 60/100

Key vocabulary

市電しでんstreetcar
幽霊ゆうれいghost
悲鳴ひめいscream
昏倒こんとうfaint
細君さいくんwife

Grammar points you'll meet

  • ～ので N4Indicates a reason or cause, often subjective.
  • ～という N4Used to indicate the name or content of something.
  • ～うとする N4Indicates an attempt to do something.
  • ～に就いて N2Means 'about' or 'concerning'.
  • ～ものだ (past) N3Indicates general truth or nature of something in the past.

Cultural notes

  • Showa 10 (1935) StreetcarsThe text is set in 1935, when streetcars (市電) were a common mode of transport in Tokyo. The specific line 'Komagome Shinmeicho' refers to a route that existed at the time.
  • Japanese Ghost FolkloreThe woman claims to have seen a 'blood-soaked ghost' (全身血みどろになった幽霊). In Japanese folklore, ghosts (幽霊) often appear in a state they died in, often with dramatic appearances.
  • 'Demon Pole' SuperstitionThe pole (センターポール) is called '魔の電柱' (demon pole) because many people hit their heads there, reflecting a local superstition about dangerous spots.

Try a comprehension question

What did the woman claim she saw on the streetcar?

  1. A demon pole
  2. A bloody ghost
  3. A screaming child
  4. A streetcar conductor
Check your answer & unlock the full quiz in the app

Sensei's reading tip

Pay attention to historical vocabulary like 市電 and 細君; they may differ from modern usage.

Topics & grammar

Short Storyghost storysuperstitionfeareeriesuspensefulのでbecause (soft)〜という〜called / named〜ようとするtry to / be about to〜ものだshould / used to / general truth

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