Zen Bonsai Vibes – A Tree, A Day, A Voice
️ Tokyo Ghost Stories #1 | Oiteke-bori — A Mysterious Voice from Fukagawa
️ Tokyo Ghost Stories #1 | Oiteke-bori — A Mysterious Voice from Fukagawa Hello from Fukagawa, Tokyo, Japan. I’m Japanese, and today I’m recording this story from Fukagawa itself. This is a place where modern Tokyo and the memory of old Edo still meet. Today, I’d like to share an old Japanese folk tale associated with Fukagawa. This is not a confirmed historical event. It is a story that has been passed down as part of Japanese folklore. Its name is— Oiteke-bori. Today, Fukagawa is part of modern Tokyo. People live here, trains pass nearby, and the streets are filled with everyday life. But imagine this area hundreds of years ago, during the Edo period. Fukagawa was closely connected with rivers, canals, and waterways. And at night, there were none of the bright city lights that illuminate Tokyo today. Imagine walking alone beside the dark water. The sound of water. The sound of the wind. And then… a voice. A voice coming from somewhere you cannot see. According to the old tale, one night a man was fishing near the water. It was a good night for fishing. He had caught plenty of fish and decided it was time to go home. He gathered his catch and began to walk away. Then, from somewhere near the dark water, he heard a voice. “Oiteke…” In Japanese, it carries the sense of— “Leave it behind…” The man stopped. He looked behind him. Nobody was there. Perhaps it was only his imagination. So he continued walking. Then he heard it again. “Oiteke…” He walked faster. Again— “Oiteke…” Something hidden in the darkness seemed to be telling him not to take his catch home. The man became frightened. He ran. He kept running until he finally reached home. At last, he was safe. Or so he thought. He went to check the fish he had caught. And then he discovered something strange. The fish were gone. Not one remained. So what had called to him from the darkness? Over the years, different versions of the legend have offered different explanations. Some connect the mystery with supernatural beings from Japanese folklore. Some versions mention a kappa , a strange creature traditionally associated with water. Others connect the story with a tanuki , an animal that appears in many Japanese folk tales involving tricks and mysterious events. But perhaps the mystery is more interesting without an answer. Remember, this is folklore—not a documented historical incident. Yet telling this story here in Fukagawa gives it a different feeling. Because right now, I’m in Tokyo. In Fukagawa. The modern city is all around me. But this area still has a long relationship with water and with the history of Edo. Perhaps hundreds of years ago, someone stood somewhere around here… looked toward the dark water… and told another person the story of Oiteke-bori. And today, I’m telling it again. From Fukagawa, Tokyo, Japan. So imagine that one night you are walking beside the water. Everything is quiet. And suddenly, from somewhere in the darkness, you hear— “Oiteke…” You keep walking. Then once more— “Oiteke…” Would you turn around? Thank you for listening to this story from Tokyo. I’ll see you again for another mysterious tale from Japan.
