作品Free Graded Reading
耳無芳一の話The Story of Mimi-nashi Hoichi
Mimi-nashi Hoichi no Hanashi
by 小泉 八雲 · Koizumi Yakumo
A blind priest is summoned by ghosts to recite a tale of war.
About this story
About this storyA blind biwa priest is summoned by the ghosts of the Heike clan to perform a tale of their downfall.
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): 「小泉八雲全集第八卷家庭版」第一書房
1937（昭和12）年1月15日発行
Typed in by 京都大学電子テクスト研究会入力班（訓練者一同）. Proofread by 京都大学電子テクスト研究会校正班（大久保ゆう）.
Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.
The furigana are Yomimaru's.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnHoichi, a blind biwa player, is summoned by ghostly retainers to perform for the Heike spirits. He performs nightly until discovered by the temple priest who writes protective sutras on his body, but forgets the ears. The ghosts tear off his ears, and he becomes famous as Earless Hoichi.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 琵琶法師 (びわほうし) | blind biwa player |
|---|---|
| 怨霊 (おんりょう) | vengeful spirit |
| 壇ノ浦 (だんのうら) | Dan-no-ura (location of battle) |
| 平家 (へいけ) | Heike clan |
| 般若心経 (はんにゃしんぎょう) | Heart Sutra |
| 耳無 (みみなし) | earless |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～すら N1Even (emphasizing an extreme case). Often means 'even' in the sense of 'not even' or 'including'.壇ノ浦の戦の歌を謡うと鬼神すらも涙をとどめ得なかった。
- ～たものだ N3Used to expresses nostalgic recollection, meaning 'used to' or 'often did'.芳一は住職の帰来を待ち、琵琶を練習しながら自分の孤独を慰めていた。
- ～てしまう N4Indicates completion of an action, often with a sense of regret or finality.邪魔をするとは容赦はならんぞ
- ～かもしれない N4Expresses possibility, meaning 'might' or 'maybe'.何か悪い事でもあるのではなかろうかと感じたのであった。
- ～ために N3Indicates purpose, meaning 'in order to' or 'for the sake of'.これ等の死者を慰めるために建立されたのが、すなわち赤間ヶ関の仏教の御寺なる阿彌陀寺であった。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- The Heike Clan and the Genpei WarThe Heike (平家) were a powerful samurai clan who fought the Genji (源氏) in the Genpei War (1180-1185), culminating in the Battle of Dan-no-ura. The Heike were defeated and many perished, including the young Emperor Antoku. Their restless spirits are said to haunt the sea.
- Biwa HōshiBiwa hōshi (琵琶法師) were blind priests who recited tales like The Tale of the Heike while playing the biwa, a lute-like instrument. They were itinerant performers who preserved and popularized historical and legendary narratives.
- The Heart Sutra (般若心経)The Heart Sutra is a key Buddhist scripture. In the story, the priest writes the sutra on Hoichi's body to protect him from the ghosts. This practice reflects the belief that sacred texts can ward off evil spirits.
- Dan-no-ura and its LegendsDan-no-ura (壇ノ浦) is a strait in Shimonoseki, site of the final battle. Legends tell of ghost fires and cries of the dead. The story 'The Earless Hoichi' is one of many supernatural tales associated with this place.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhy did the samurai summon Hoichi?
- To entertain the Emperor
- To perform for the Heike spirits
- To teach him biwa
- To take him to the cemetery
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to archaic verb endings like ～ぬ (negative) and ～つ (perfective), which are common in classical Japanese.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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