作品Free Graded Reading
魔の電柱The Demon Pole
Ma no Denchuu
by 田中 貢太郎 · Tanaka Kōtarō
A woman sees a bloody ghost on a streetcar and panics - but the pole she hits has a sinister reputation.
About this story
About this storyA 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
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
What you'll learnIn 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.
Key vocabulary
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
Grammar points you'll meet- ～ので N4Indicates a reason or cause, often subjective.負傷をするので魔の電柱と云われているものであった。
- ～という N4Used to indicate the name or content of something.市川喜太郎と云う人の細君
- ～うとする N4Indicates an attempt to do something.逃げ出そうとでもするようにして
- ～に就いて N2Means 'about' or 'concerning'.悲鳴をあげて逃げ出そうとした事に就いて聞いてみると
- ～ものだ (past) N3Indicates general truth or nature of something in the past.魔の電柱と云われているものであった。
Cultural notes
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
Try a comprehension questionWhat did the woman claim she saw on the streetcar?
- A demon pole
- A bloody ghost
- A screaming child
- A streetcar conductor
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to historical vocabulary like 市電 and 細君; they may differ from modern usage.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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