85

Bundle 85: Folktales and a Longing for Justice

As this bundle shows, folktales about vengeance satisfy a human craving for justice. One depicts a spurned woman, Kiyohime, whose love turns to hatred and then to homicide. Another reflects a power imbalance between a would-be rapist and his female servant, Okiku. If one sees her as having the final say, that's salve for anyone who has felt powerless. In "Kachikachiyama," a rabbit punishes a wicked tanuki, fulfilling a universal longing for good to defeat evil. The story of Momotaro's battle may reflect a desire for justice on an international scale; the folktale could symbolize struggles between Japan and Korea.
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鬼
ogre
JOK: 1128
The oni (鬼), the Japanese devil or demon, is elusive. It's hard to find images of this supernatural creature at temples or elsewhere in Japan. On the other hand, devils and demons work their way into our lives much more than we might realize. In Japanese, 鬼 references are pervasive. Find out when 鬼 is a term of endearment and when it's an insult. Learn about a folktale (in which Momotaro travels to Devil's Island) and the holiday called Setsubun. Finally, see how 鬼 functions as a radical or component in several Joyo kanji.
皿
dish
JOK: 1307
Learn words for everything from segmented condiment dishes to ice cube trays. Find out how to count empty and full plates differently and to ask servers for share plates. See how corporations and nursery schools can be saucers, hear about ghostly torment associated with dishes, and learn where we keep dishes in the body. Also discover the role 皿 plays in 18 Joyo kanji.
舟
boat
JOK: 1354
Find out how to talk about small, hand-propelled boats, and learn about Japanese boats across the ages, from dugout canoes to washtub boats to small straw boats that play a key role during Bon. See why a book about a retiree unnerved Japan, and learn about a famous story in which a man delights in being arrested. Also learn a boat-related expression for traditional rivals.
憎
hate
JOK: 1532
It's important to know if others hate you. It's even more crucial to recognize that someone is using 憎 ironically to say that you're cute or amazing. Find out when the Japanese avoid mentioning hatred and when they're surprisingly direct. See which book titles contain 憎, including one about tsunami victims who simply can't hate the sea. And enjoy a folktale about love gone horribly awry.
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