The Cape of Joken Zaki

Story

The seas around Amakusa are entirely empty of fish and the people have nothing to eat. One day, an old fisherman tells the villagers that the rumbling sounds they often hear are not earthquakes but the god of the sea showing his displeasure. When a ship, sent to investigate, sees a strange vision of a woman, a mute young man named Sankichi is sent to dive for what they believe will be the body of a young woman. Instead, he finds a sword. The villagers build a shrine for the sword and the fish return to the bay, and Sankichi, previously poorly regarded because of his muteness, is now respected and lives a long and happy life while the cape became known as Joken Zaki, the woman’s sword.

Why we chose it

A Japanese folk tale with a hero who is mute, who proves his bravery and his worth.

Where it came from

Much of Japanese folklore is influenced by Buddhism and Shinto, the two primary religions of Japan. Legend has it that a sword used to execute Christians was cast into the sea, and the discovery of this sword led to the story of The Cape of Jokun Zaki. Richard Gordon-Smith reports that he was told the story by a man named Fukuga, who travelled up and down the southern coast of Japan searching for pearls and coral.

Where it went next

The story is included in Ancient Tales and Folklore of Japan (Richard Gordon-Smith, 1918).

Associated stories

Sazanami Iwaya, a popular children’s writer, storyteller, and artist wrote a number of fairytales and stories of old Japan. Charlotte Guillain included Japanese folktale The Unhappy Woodcutter in her series of picture books on folk tales from around the world.