The Ghost of Okiku: A Tale of Lost Plates and Eternal Counting
- Re.JapBook
- Jan 28
- 1 min read
From Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's "New Forms of Thirty-six Ghosts" Series
The Haunted Manor
This haunting print depicts one of Japan's most renowned ghost stories, the tale of Okiku, a serving maid at the Sarayashiki (Plate Mansion). The story exists in several versions, with the most famous set in either Himeji or Edo's Banchō district, each offering its own tragic variation of Okiku's fate.
The Fatal Count
Okiku was entrusted with the care of ten precious plates, family heirlooms of great value. Through the malicious scheming of others, one plate mysteriously disappeared. When she counted the plates—"One... two... three..."—only nine remained, leading to devastating consequences.
The Tragic Fate
In the Banchō version, her master, Aoyama, driven by twisted passion and rejection, mutilated Okiku by cutting off her finger before she took her own life in the mansion's well. In the Himeji version, she was tortured and killed after being falsely accused of losing the plate, her body thrown into the well.
The Eternal Haunting
Following her death, Okiku's ghost emerged nightly from the well, counting the plates in an endless, mournful ritual: "One... two... three..." up to nine, before breaking into heart-wrenching sobs. Her counting became a terrifying reminder of the injustice she suffered, haunting those responsible for her death.
Cultural Impact
This tale of betrayal, injustice, and supernatural retribution became one of Japan's most enduring ghost stories, adapted into numerous kabuki plays, puppet theater performances, and later modern dramatic interpretations, each emphasizing different aspects of Okiku's tragic tale.
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