作品Free Graded Reading
小夜の中山夜啼石The Night-Crying Stone of Sayo no Nakayama
Sayo no Nakayama Yonaki Ishi
by 岡本 綺堂 · Okamoto Kido
A mysterious stone wails at night – uncover the legend behind this eerie tale!
What you'll learn
What you'll learnA woman regularly buys candy from a roadside stand near Saya no Nakayama. The shopkeeper becomes curious and follows her one evening, discovering a baby's cry under a stone. The baby is found alive next to his murdered mother, who had been using six funeral coins to buy candy for him. The baby is later raised by locals and becomes a monk at Kuenji Temple.
The author provides historical context and commentary on the legend of Saya no Nakayama, including references to the Tōkaidō Meisho Zue and various versions of the tale. He discusses the Night-Crying Stone, Kuenji Temple, and the possible historical origins of the story, concluding that the most interesting version was the one told first.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 飴 (あめ) | candy, sweet |
|---|---|
| 亡霊 (ぼうれい) | ghost, spirit of the dead |
| 赤児 (あかご) | baby, infant |
| 久圓寺 (くえんじ) | Kuenji Temple (proper noun) |
| 六文銭 (ろくもんせん) | six coins buried with the dead |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～てゐた N4Past progressive, 'was doing'女はいつも暮れかゝつた頃に来て、たつた一文の飴を買つてゆくのである。
- ～のである N3Explanatory 'it is that'女はいつも暮れかゝつた頃に来て、たつた一文の飴を買つてゆくのである。
- ～てしまう N4Completion, 'finish doing' or 'end up'あわれてゝ元来た方角へ引返そうとすると、どこかで赤児の啼く声がきこえたので亭主は又ぎよつとした。
- ～てくる N4Directional auxiliary 'come and do' or 'become'秋も深けて、この頃の日脚はだん〳〵に詰まつて来たので、
- ～という N4Called, named; 'that'そのほかにはこの土地の名物といふ飴を売つてゐた。
- ～なければならない N3Must, have to赤児はもう飢ゑて死なゝければならない。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- 六文銭 (Rokumonsen)Six coins traditionally placed with the deceased for the journey to the afterlife, reflecting a Buddhist custom. In the story, the ghost mother uses these coins to buy candy for her baby.
- 小夜の中山 (Saya no Nakayama)A famous mountain pass on the old Tōkaidō road, renowned in literature and poetry. It is the setting for the legend of the Night-Crying Stone and the tragic tale in this text.
- 夜啼石 (Yonaki Ishi) and Night-Crying StoneA stone said to cry at night, associated with the ghost of a murdered pregnant woman. The legend explains the origin of the baby's cries heard from under the stone.
- 子育観音 (Kosodate Kannon)The Kannon (bodhisattva) of child-rearing, enshrined at Kuenji Temple. Believed to have rescued the baby from the murdered woman's womb, reflecting the fusion of Buddhism with local folklore.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhy did the shopkeeper wait to close his shop on the sixth day?
- He was expecting a large customer.
- He was curious about the woman who bought candy.
- He was waiting for his wife to arrive.
- He wanted to enjoy the evening weather.
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to classical Japanese verb endings like ～ぬ, ～たる, and ～う/よう (volitional). These are common in literary texts and differ from modern usage.
Read a sample in Japanese
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