Like in any culture, Japanese kids grow up listening to the stories repeatedly told by their parents and grandparents. The boy born from a peach; the princess from the moon who is discovered inside a bamboo; the old man who can make a dead cherry tree blossom, etc. These short stories that teach kids to see both the dark and bright sides of life have passed traditional moral values from generation to generation.
Source: crunchyroll
A whale turns into a rock. A man wants to learn to fly, but runs into resistance from the Japanese government. Source: crunchyroll
A child appears from inside a stalk of bamboo. A village makes a kite with the face of an oni. Source: crunchyroll
A wife unwittingly offends a powerful catfish god. Inou Tadataka becomes the first man to make a map of Japan. Source: crunchyroll
A boy throws a rock at a baby kappa, and its father puts a powerful curse on him. The lake moss of the Ainu come to be refered as the heart of the forest. Source: crunchyroll
A hunter outwits a giant ogre called an oni. Two sons find a statue of one of the buddhas while trying to catch fish for their sick mother. Source: crunchyroll
A brother and sister escape from enslavement. Stories are told of Kicchomu, who is famous for his cleverness. Source: crunchyroll
An old woman sacrifices herself to bring prosperity to a starving village. A demon god repairs a destroyed temple. Source: crunchyroll
A girl falls in love with the spirit of a pine tree. A frail lord is tempted into eating more by the power of mustard and lotus root. Source: crunchyroll
A man named Chikaraishi battles Kappa for sumo supremacy. The great buddha of Nara is built over a period of decades. Source: crunchyroll
An ogre possesses a golden ladle. A young boy's beloved horse is brutally treated by a rich man. Source: crunchyroll
A man gains the ability to see others for the animals they really are. A demon roof tile brings misfortune. Source: crunchyroll
A peasant hears about Japanese poetry and decides to try some for himself. A monk whittles 100,000 statues of buddha. Source: crunchyroll
A ghost makes a man strong. Good miso is found only a short distance away. Source: crunchyroll
A snake made of straw comes to life. Uesugi Youzan makes things happen. Source: crunchyroll
A greedy man wants to cheat customers out of tofu. A lowly merchant grows to great riches. Source: crunchyroll
A girl sacrifices herself to save her master's daughter. Sen Rikyuu creates a new style of tea. Source: crunchyroll
Tanuki plow a field for a kind man. Bunzaemon becomes rich selling oranges. Source: crunchyroll
A man gets a bathtub stuck to his butt by an angry god. A warrior challenges the ghosts of Himeji castle. Source: crunchyroll
An oni gives a girl great power. A cat of repays the kindness of its owners. Source: crunchyroll
A man wants to be a Sennin but fails, so he becomes a salesman instead. Kobayashi Issa, the haiku poet, thinks of the sun, the moon, and his soba. Source: crunchyroll
A man falls in love with a carp he catches in a lake. A lord learns the ways of herbs. Source: crunchyroll
A lazy man becomes rich with the help of a god. A raccoon gathers donations for a temple. Source: crunchyroll
A priest statue gives warnings in dreams. A master dollmaker makes a doll from unique materials. Source: crunchyroll
A ninja learns secret techniques. New methods for pottery are divised. Source: crunchyroll
A priest statue spits out yummy rice. A dog goes to Ise. Source: crunchyroll
A woman uses sesame seed buns to turn people into cows. The hot springs at dogo are discovered. Source: crunchyroll
A boy becomes high priest after a lowly upbringing. A girl becomes the first woman to stand on Mt. Fuji. Source: crunchyroll
A man marries a frog wife. A merchant from Edo teaches people a valuable lesson about quality goods. Source: crunchyroll
A ship of ghosts tries to drag the living to the bottom of the ocean. Raccoons fight a war in Awa. Source: crunchyroll
A hard-working potter learns the secrets of lacquerware. In Shirataki, the wife is the boss. Source: crunchyroll
A man becomes a doctor after his eyeball falls out. In Aizu, the Byakkotai dies at the end of a war. Source: crunchyroll
A priest becomes friends with an old raccoon. A beautiful woman called Otane meets a sad fate. Source: crunchyroll
A man wants to be a black kite. A sinister creature haunts a tree on a island. Source: crunchyroll
A man wants to be poor. A lord forbids his people from luxuries. Source: crunchyroll
Yajiemon fights a giant bear. A man designs the gate for a temple after badly injuring his left hand. Source: crunchyroll
A god rides on a cucumber. A lord becomes rich using his abacus to keep expenses down. Source: crunchyroll
A wife farts so hard that she blows down trees. A chef in Okinawa competes for the best dish. Source: crunchyroll
A mountain granny brings prosperity in exchange for delicious mochi. Horrible creatures called Namahage strike a town in Akita. Source: crunchyroll
A man becomes invisible and feels very alone. A river otter is tricked by dastardly shrimp. Source: crunchyroll
Three grains of rice become three grains of gold. A man named Jirochou is an inpsiration to everyone. Source: crunchyroll
A samurai breaks a teacup owned by a poor man. Pack runners carry salmon along a mountain path. Source: crunchyroll
A mountain grannie repays those who are kind to her. A child prodigy is banished far from the capital. Source: crunchyroll
A man bags the wind. An ancient legend about Tanabata is still told to this day. Source: crunchyroll
A raccoon disguises itself as a mountain monk. A woman is sacrificed to make a bridge sturdy. Source: crunchyroll
A giant called Yagorou-dono lived long ago. A god drives away insects from crops. Source: crunchyroll
A boy called Ishidoumaru searches for his father. A lord battles a monster in his keep. Source: crunchyroll
A horse from a painting comes alive. A recipe is made for cold soup. Source: crunchyroll
A greedy priest is sent to hell. A great man named Mito Mitsukuni is very hungry. Source: crunchyroll
A cherry tree blooms on the night of the full moon. A bridge-maker makes a bride over a steep canyon. Source: crunchyroll
A goddess lives on the northern mountain. Kiyohime becomes a snake and attacks the one she loves. Source: crunchyroll