雪女The Snow Woman

Read a sample in Japanese

What you'll learn

Two woodcutters, Mosaku and Minokichi, are caught in a blizzard. They shelter in a ferryman's hut, where a snow woman appears, kills Mosaku with her breath, and threatens Minokichi to remain silent. He survives and eventually meets and marries a woman named O-Yuki. After many years and children, Minokichi recounts the story to his wife, revealing she is the snow woman. She transforms and disappears, leaving him.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～たびに N3Means 'every time' something happens. Used with verbs in attributive form (dictionary or past).
  その橋は洪水のあるたびごとに流された。
• ～ように N4Used to express purpose ('in order to') or simile ('like'). In this case, simile.
  そして彼女の息はあかるい白い煙のようであった。
• ～かもしれない N4Means 'maybe' or 'might'. Attaches to plain form verbs, adjectives, or nouns+だ.
  彼はただ夢を見ていたかもしれないと思った。

Cultural notes

• Yuki-onna (Snow Woman)A yuki-onna is a spirit or yōkai from Japanese folklore, often depicted as a beautiful woman with pale skin who appears during snowstorms. She can be both deadly and merciful, as in this story where she spares the young woodcutter but kills the older one.
• Traditional WoodcuttersIn pre-modern Japan, woodcutters (木こり) were common in rural areas, supplying fuel and materials. They often worked in remote forests and faced dangers like harsh weather, as depicted in the story.

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Topics & grammar

Short Storyghost storyfolkloresupernaturalmercysuspensefuleerieaozora bunko〜かもしれないkamo shirenaiようにyou ni