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A folktale of Fukushima

The Blessings of Bishamon
Japanese French Vietnamese

This is a story from Asaminami Ward in Hiroshima.

A long, long time ago in the village of Midorii, a beautiful young woman –Hana – lived together with her elderly mother. Hana was a renowned beauty in the village and was a hard worker as well. She worked from early morning to late at night on the farm. She looked after her poorly mother and would take her everywhere with her.

The people of the village would say, “Hana is such a good girl.”

And Hana’s mother would always say to her, “Oh, Hana. I am so sorry. You’re a good age now and I’m sure you want to wear pretty clothes or even get married. I just cause you problems and hold you back. Every morning and every evening I pray to Bishamon that he will grant blessings upon you, that he will make you happy.”

“Oh, mother. Please don’t worry. It can’t be helped,” Hana would laugh as she replied.

Several years passed and just after a snow-filled New Year’s Day, the day of the Hatsutora Fair dawned. It was a fair that was held in the village of Iwatani in celebration of Bishamon, a Buddhist deity. And not only people from the neighborhood, but also visitors from Hiroshima and from Shikoku as well came. They came in droves and stayed the night – it was something to look forward to after the New Year. It was a big event with food stalls and the approach to the temple was full of people. There was a legend that if you paid your respects to Bishamon on the day of the Hatsutora Fair, you would receive a blessing.

On the morning of the Hatsutora Fair, Hana set off to the fields as usual and set about some farm work. The son of the village’s headman, Seisuke, walked past her. They had known each other since they were children and Seisuke loved her very much because of her great beauty and her hard working nature. However, he was too embarrassed to tell her how he felt. He was on his way to the Hatsutora Fair himself and had been hoping to run into her there.

“Hana! Aren’t you going to the fair?”

“No, I can’t go. My mother is not feeling so well.”

“That’s a shame. Very well, I will go and pray to Bishamon in your place and receive his blessings.”

Seisuke was happy to make this promise with Hana and out of breath, he made his way up the steep hill through crowds of people and paid his respects to Bishamon. Within the walls of the temple was a giant blessed rock that had been enshrined. If you stretched out both of your arms wide – from one side of the rock to the other – you would receive the blessings of Bishamon. You would become happy. So Seisuke faced the rock and spread out both of his arms wide. “My arms reached!” he said and the tips of his hands reached the sides of the rock. Even though he had never managed it before, this year, his arms stretched wide enough.

Seisuke was very happy. His breast grew warm and he felt a sense of wellbeing. This must be what being blessed felt like! He was so happy he could hardly contain himself. He wondered how he could pass on this warm feeling of wellbeing to Hana and as he lost his way as he went down the hill, he heard a cute miaowing sound coming from a bamboo grove. Seisuke glanced into the grove and found three charming kittens. Their eyes gleamed and without thinking, Seisuke placed them close to his breast.

“Oh, they are so cute. And warm. I must take these home to Hana,” he said and continued to make his way down the hill.

“Hana. I have received blessings. You must take care of them,” said Seisuke as he handed the kittens in a container to Hana.

Hana was delighted to receive the blessing from Seisuke and she carefully took the container from him. And not unsurprisingly, she was most curious as to what was held inside the container.

One day, when she lifted the lid of the container to see what was inside, she found three dazzling large gold coins.

“Oh, mother. Oh, mother. Please come quickly Seisuke has given us a blessing of three large gold coins.”

Hana’s mother was surprised to see the three gold coins as well. Their value these days would enable you to buy a new house and many cars. And the rumor spread through the village that Seisuke had given Hana three large gold coins. Seisuke was the most surprised of all. No, in fact, it was his father – the headman of the village – who was the most surprised of all.

“Seisuke. Did you really give Hana three large gold coins? Where did you get hold of such a large amount of money?” The man questioned his son harshly with a face that was bright red with anger.

“But I didn’t give her large gold coins. They were kittens with dazzling eyes. As they were blessings from Bishamon, I said nothing to her as I handed them to her in a container because I was a little embarrassed. I did not know that they had become large gold coins. I tell you the truth.”

Seisuke did his best to explain. The headman of the village replied, “I see. Strange things happen sometimes. Bishamon must have seen what a good girl Hana is and he must have placed his blessings on her. You seem to like her a lot. You must marry her. It is rare to find such a good match.” And so he granted Seisuke his greatest wish to marry Hana.

And thanks to the great gold coins, Hana’s mother health grew better and everybody in the village congratulated Seisuke and Hana on their marriage and they lived happily ever after.



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