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
JLPT N1Short StoryQuiz ready
A blind priest is summoned by ghosts to recite a tale of war.
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.
Language difficultyExpert · 90/100
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.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese七百年以上も昔の事、下ノ関海峡の壇ノ浦で、平家すなわち平族と、源氏すなわち源族との間の、永い争いの最後の戦闘が戦われた。この壇ノ浦で平家は、その一族の婦人子供ならびにその幼帝――今日安徳天皇として記憶されている――と共に、まったく滅亡した。そうしてその海と浜辺とは七百年間その怨霊に祟られていた……他の個処で私はそこに居る平家蟹という不思議な蟹の事を読者諸君に語った事があるが、それはその背中が人間の顔になっており、平家の武者の魂であると云われているのである。しかしその海岸一帯には、たくさん不思議な事が見聞きされる。闇夜には幾千となき幽霊火が、水うち際にふわふわさすらうか、もしくは波の上にちらちら飛ぶ――すなわち漁夫の呼んで鬼火すなわち魔の火と称する青白い光りである。そして風の立つ時には大きな叫び声が、戦の叫喚のように、海から聞えて来る。平家の人達は以前は今よりも遥かに焦慮いていた。
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