作品Free Graded Reading
炭取りThe Charcoal Container
Sumitori
by 田中 貢太郎 · Tanaka Kōtarō
JLPT N3Short StoryClassical / archaicQuiz ready
A child sees his dead mother climb the stairs at night—a classic ghost story.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnA child who lost his mother wakes up one night and sees his dead mother enter the room. As she moves, her kimono catches a charcoal container, which rotates. Meanwhile, all the other sleepers in the room have nightmares.
Language difficultyIntermediate · 65/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 母親 (ははおや) | mother |
|---|---|
| 梯子段 (はしごだん) | ladder; staircase (often steep) |
| 炭取 (すみとり) | charcoal container (used in traditional heaters) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～を無くした N5Past tense of なくす (to lose). The pattern [noun]をなくす means 'to lose something'.母親を無くした小供
- ～てくる (て来る) N4A auxiliary verb meaning 'to come' doing an action; often indicates direction towards speaker or beginning of an action.あがって来る者があった。
- ～うとする (volitional form + とする) N4Expresses an attempt to do something: 'try to do' or 'about to do'.小供の枕頭の方に来ようとした
- ～をはじめ（として） N3Meaning 'including [noun]' or 'starting with'. Used to list a representative example.祖父をはじめ傍に寝ていた者
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Japanese Ghost Story MotifThis passage resembles classic Japanese ghost stories (怪談 kaidan) where a deceased relative returns, often causing supernatural events. The presence of a charcoal brazier (火鉢) and sliding door (障子) are common in traditional settings.
- Charcoal Container (炭取)A charcoal container (炭取) is used to hold charcoal for heating. In this story, the ghost's kimono hem catches on it, causing it to move mysteriously.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWho comes into the room?
- The child's father
- The child's dead mother
- A stranger
- The child's grandfather
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to sequential actions: waking, hearing, seeing the ghost enter, then the movement of objects.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese母親を無くした子供が、ある夜、ふと眼を覚ました。その室は二階で、傍には親父をはじめ二三人のものが寝ていた。と、梯子段をみしみしと言わして、あがって来る者があったが、やがてそれが障子をすうと開けて入って来た。それは死んだ母親であった。子供はおっ母さんが来たなと思って見ていると、その女は、入口の火鉢や炭取をかたよせてある処を通って、子供の枕頭の方に来ようとしたが、その拍子に衣服の裾が炭取にかかると、炭取りはぐるりと左から右に動いてその位置が変わった。その時、祖父をはじめ傍に寝ていた者は皆いっしょにうなされた。
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