葬式の行列The Funeral Procession

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What you'll learn

Samurai Oba Uhee returns home after a gathering and encounters a funeral procession that reveals it is his own funeral. He becomes ill and dies shortly after.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～てみる N4Try to do something
  大場は行列の先頭が自分の前へ来ると聞いてみた。
• ～でござる N2Polite copula in historical/classical Japanese (equivalent to です)
  「これは大場宇兵衛殿の葬式でござる」
• ～たばかり N3Just did something; indicates a recently completed action
  玄関前に焚火をしたばかりの痕があった。

Cultural notes

• 送火 (Okuribi)A funeral tradition where a fire is lit to guide the spirit of the deceased. In this story, the fire is lit before the person has died, foreshadowing death.
• 城下町 (Jōkamachi)A castle town, typical of the Edo period, where samurai lived in designated districts. The story mentions 北国 (northern region) but then says it is not that, emphasizing the loneliness of the samurai district.

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Topics & grammar

Short Storyghost storyfolklorefatedeatheeriesuspensefulてみるte miru · try doing〜たばかりta bakari · just did