Japan’s Oldest Tale is a Woman-Centric Sci-Fi
The Story of Princess Kaguya has inspired us for 1,100 years
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (竹取物語) is the oldest surviving piece of fiction in Japan. It is believed to have been created by a male author in the early Heian period around the tenth century. The protagonist is a female alien whose views are pretty modern. Such novelty has kept this story alive for 1,100 years as if it had taken an elixir of immortality that appears in this work.
Japanese children learn its exquisite original text at school, and I can still fondly recite some parts. As one of Japan’s most iconic stories, it has been translated into many foreign languages, including Italian, German, English, and Hindi, since the 19th century.
This article will provide a synopsis of The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. We’ll also learn how its protagonist, Princess Kaguya, remains a major cultural icon today, featured in a Ghibli film and other modern works.
A baby girl is found in a bamboo
An old couple made their living by processing bamboo into various items. One day, the old man found a strange bamboo in the mountains that glowed with light. When he approached it, he saw a lovely baby girl, about nine centimeters tall, sitting in it.