Hiragana Reading Practice: Princess Kaguya


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To master reading hiragana, you need to practice a lot! A physical children story book such as this Ghibli’s Kaguya movie book is a great book for collection and as a hiragana reading practice. But not all of us have resources to get them and that’s why we’re here to help!

You can use this Princess Kaguya story to practice reading hiragana. There are a few important things you need to keep in mind though, check this article first if this is the first time you use this page to practice!

Quick Tips on using this page to practice reading hiragana
• Kana in bold are particles. As particles は is read as WA and を is read as O.
• You can safely ignore the meaning. Success attempt = able to read all hiragana with no difficulties.

かぐやひめ – The Tale of Princess Kaguya

kaguya

Part 1 : A Golden Bamboo

1. むかし、 みやこ ちかく むら たけとり おきな よばれて いる おじいさん いました。

Show/Hide Romaji
Mukashi, miyako no chikaku no mura ni taketori no okina to yobareteiru ojiisan ga imashita.
Show/Hide Translation
Long ago, in a village near the capital there was an old man called “old man bamboo cutter (Taketori no Okina)

2. おじいさん まいにちやま いって たけ とり, それ かご あみ、 ざる つくって くらして いました。

Show/Hide Romaji
Ojiisan wa mainichi yama e itte take o tori, sore de kago o ami, zaru o tsukutte kurashiteimashita.
Show/Hide Translation
Each day the old man went to the mountain to cut bamboo and with that, he made a living by weaving baskets and making bamboo sieves.

3. ある ひ、 おじいさん たけ きろう したら ねもと ぴかぴか ひかる たけ ありました。「ふしぎな たけ だ。」

Show/Hide Romaji
Aru hi, ojiisan ga take o kirou to shitara nemoto no pikapika hikaru take ga arimashita. “Fushigi na take da”
Show/Hide Translation
One day, when the old man tried to cut bamboo, there was a bamboo with a sparkling base.”It is a mysterious bamboo”.

4. おじいさん びっくりして その たけ そっと きって みました。すると どう でしょう。 たけ なか ちいさな おんな いました。

Show/Hide Romaji
Ojiisan wa bikkurishite sono take o sotto kitte mimashita. Suruto dou deshou. Take no naka ni chiisana onna no ko ga imashita.
Show/Hide Translation
The old man was surprised, and gently cut and saw the bamboo. And behold! Inside the bamboo there was a little girl.

5.「なんて かわいい こ だ。」おじいさん おおよろこび おんなのこ だきあげ、いえ つれて かえりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
“Nante kawaii ko da”. Ojiisan wa ooyorokobi de onna no ko o dakiage, ie ni tsurete kaerimashita.
Show/Hide Translation
“What a cute child!” The old man very happily took the girl up in his arms and he took her back home.

6. これ かみさま さずけて くださった ちがいない。」

Show/Hide Romaji
“Kore wa kamisama ga sazukete kudasatta ni chigainai”
Show/Hide Translation
“I am certain this is a gift from the god.”

7. おばあさん よろこんで おんな だきしめました。ふたり おんなのこ たからもの ように して だいじ そだてました。

Show/Hide Romaji
Obaasan mo yorokonde onna no ko o dakishimemashita. Futari wa onna no ko o takaramono no you ni shite daiji ni sodatemashita.
Show/Hide Translation
The old woman also happily embraced the girl. Together they treated her like a treasure and raised her very carefully.

Part 2 : Born to be a princess

8. ふしぎな こと つぎ ひ から おじいさん たけ きる たび こがね ざくざく でて きました。

Show/Hide Romaji
Fushigi na koto ni tsugi no hi kara ojiisan ga take o kiru tabi ni kogane ga zakuzaku to dete kimashita.
Show/Hide Translation
Next day, strange things happening. Each time the old man cut bamboo, there are golds came out of the bamboo.

9. おじいさん たちまち むらいちばん おかねもち なりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
Ojiisan wa tachimachi mura ichiban no okanemochi ni narimashita.
Show/Hide Translation
Suddenly, the old man became the richest in the village.

10. おんな すくすく そだって、 やがて むすめさん なりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
Onna no ko wa sukusuku sodatte, yagate musumesan ni narimashita.
Show/Hide Translation
The girl grew up quickly, and before long she became a maiden.

11. まる かがやく ように うつくしく、かぐわしい ほど きれいな ところ から かぐやひめ よばれる ように なりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
Maru de kagayaku you ni utsukushiku, kaguwashii hodo ni kirei na tokoro kara kaguya hime to yobareru you ni narimashita.
Show/Hide Translation
She is beautiful as if sparkling, and pretty as if fragrant, and from this she came to be called Kaguyahime (fragrant princess).

Part 3 : The Five Persistent Men

12. かぐやひめうつくしさみやこ に も しれわたり、ひとめ みたい いう ひと つぎつぎ おじいさんやしき やって きました。

Show/Hide Romaji
Kaguyahime no utsukushisa wa miyako ni mo shirewatari, hitome mitai to iu hito ga tsugitsugi to ojiisan no yashiki ni yatte kimashita.
Show/Hide Translation
Kaguyahime’s beauty was well-known in the capital, that, one after another, people who want to take a glance at Kaguyahime’s beauty turn up on the old man’s residence.

13. 「かぐやひめ ぜひとも わたしよめ ください。」おとこひと たちみんな て あわせて たのみました。

Show/Hide Romaji
“Kaguyahime o zehitomo watashi no yome ni kudasai” otoko no hito tachi wa minna te o awasete tanomimashita.
Show/Hide Translation
“By all means, please give me Kaguyahime as my wife.” the men all asked with their hands put together.

14. その なか あめ かぜ おじいさんやしき きて、かぐやひめ ぜひ よめ ほしい いう ご にん ひと いました。

Show/Hide Romaji
Sono naka ni ame no hi mo kaze no hi mo ojiisan no yashiki e kite, kaguyahime o zehi yome ni hoshii to iu go nin no hito ga imashita.
Show/Hide Translation
Among them, there were five people, who came to the old man’s residence even on rainy days and windy days, who said that by all means they want Kaguyahime as their wife.

15. どの ひと みぶん たかく たいへんな おかねもち でした。

Show/Hide Romaji
Dono hito mo mibun ga takaku taihen na okanemochi deshita.
Show/Hide Translation
All of these (five) people also have high social positions and are very rich.

16. 「かぐやひめかみさま から さずかった むすめ です。だれ に も さしあげる ことできません。」

Show/Hide Romaji
“Kaguyahime wa kami sama kara sazukatta musume desu. Dare ni mo sashiageru koto wa dekimasen.
Show/Hide Translation
“Kaguyahime is a daughter granted from the god. I can’t give her to anybody.” (said the old man).

17. おじいさん いくら ことわって ごにんあきらめよう しません。

Show/Hide Romaji
Ojiisan ga ikura kotowatte mo gonin wa akirameyou to shimasen.
Show/Hide Translation
(But) no matter how many times the old man refuses the five men do not give up.

18. おじいさんこまって しまい、 かぐやひめ いいました。

Show/Hide Romaji
Ojiisan wa komatte shimai, kaguyahime ni iimashita.
Show/Hide Translation
The old man told Kaguyahime that he is completely at a loss.


Part 4: The Splendid Bachelors

19. 「どの かた りっぱな ひと ばかり だ。

Show/Hide Romaji
dono kata mo rippana hito bakari da.
Show/Hide Translation
They are all splendid people.
20. おまえ もはやく よめ いって わしら あんしんさせて おくれ。」

Show/Hide Romaji
omae mo hayaku yome ni itte washira o anshinsasete okure
Show/Hide Translation
Please quickly become a bride and give us a piece of mind”
21. する かぐやひめ いいました。

Show/Hide Romaji
suru to kaguyahime ga iimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Thereupon, Kaguyahime said.
22. 「それ なら めずらしい もの みつけて きた ひと
ところ およめ いきます。」

Show/Hide Romaji
sore nara mezurashii mono o mitsukete kita hito no
tokoro e oyome ni ikimasu
Show/Hide Translation
In that case I shall come to the place of someone
who can find me an out of ordinary thing and become his bride

Part 5: Mission Impossible

23. そこ で おじいさん ごにん かぐやひめ ことば つたえました。

Show/Hide Romaji
soko de ojiisan wa go nin ni kaguyahime no kotoba o tsutaemashita
Show/Hide Translation
Then the old man told Kaguyahime’s words to the five men.
24. 「いしづくり みこ てんじく いって
ほとけさま つかって いた いし はち もって きて ください。

Show/Hide Romaji
Ishizukuri no miko wa tenjiku e itte
hotokesama no tsukatte ita ishi no hachi o motte kite kudasai
Show/Hide Translation
Prince Ishizukuri go to India
and please bring a stone bowl which Buddha used.
25. くらもち みこ ほうらいさん いって
しろい み なる こがね ひと えだ おって きて ください。

Show/Hide Romaji
kuramochi no miko wa houraisan e itte
shiroi mi no naru kogane no ki o hito eda otte kite kudasai
Show/Hide Translation
Prince Kuramochi, please go to the sacred mountain,
break a branch from the golden tree that bears white fruit and bring it.
26. あべ うだいじん もろこし いって ひねずみ かわごろも

Show/Hide Romaji
abe no udaijin wa morokoshi e itte hi nezumi no kawagoromo o
Show/Hide Translation
Minister Abe, please go to China and bring the fur coat of a fire mouse.
27. おおとも だいなごん りゅう くび ある ごしき たま

Show/Hide Romaji
ootomo no dainagon wa ryuu no kubi ni aru goshiki no tama o
Show/Hide Translation
Chief Ohtomo, please bring the five colored jewel ball from the dragon’s neck.
28. それから いそのかみ ちゅうなごん
つばめ たまご いっしょに うむ いう こやすがい もってきて ください。」

Show/Hide Romaji
sore kara isonokami no chuunagon wa
tsubame ga tamago to issho ni umu to iu koyasugai o mottekite kudasai
Show/Hide Translation
And Councillor Isonokami, please bring the shellfish
that it is said was born together with the egg of the swallow.”
29. みんな ひと はいらない たからもの ばかり です。

Show/Hide Romaji
minna hito no te ni hairanai takaramono bakari desu
Show/Hide Translation
All of the treasures can’t be obtained by the hands of normal people
30. ごにん ぽかん して かお みあわせました。

Show/Hide Romaji
gonin wa bokan to shite kao o miawasemashita
Show/Hide Translation
The five men looked blankly at each other’s faces.
31. それでも なんとか て いれなくて かぐやひめ もらう こと できません。

Show/Hide Romaji
soredemo nantoka te ni irenakute wa kaguyahime o morau koto ga dekimasen
Show/Hide Translation
Even so, if they can’t somehow obtain it into their hands, they won’t be able to get Kaguyahime.

Part 6: Buddha’s Bowl

32. いしづくり みこ てんじく いく うそ つき、
みやこ でて いきました。

Show/Hide Romaji
ishizukuri no miko wa tenjiku e iku to uso o tsuki,
miyako o dete ikimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Prince Isizukuri told a lie that he go to India
while he went to the capital
33. あちこち おてら まわり、
ふるい いし はち みつけて きました。

Show/Hide Romaji
achi kochi no otera o mawari,
furui ishi no hachi o mitsukete kimashita
Show/Hide Translation
He went around to temples here and there,
and found and brought back an old stone bowl.
34. それ にしき ふくろ いれ、
かぐやひめ ところ もって いきました。

Show/Hide Romaji
sore o nishiki no fukuro ni ire,
kaguyahime no tokoro e motte ikimashita
Show/Hide Translation
He put it into a brocade bag,
and brought it to Kaguyahime’s place.
35. 「やっと はち みつけて てんじく から もどって きました。」

Show/Hide Romaji
yatto hachi o mitsukete tenjiku kara modotte kimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Finally I found the bowl, and returned from India.
36. でも かぐやひめ きたない はち みて いいました。

Show/Hide Romaji
demo kaguyahime wa kitanai hachi o mite iimashita
Show/Hide Translation
But Kaguyahime looked at the dirty bowl and said.
37. 「これ どこか おてら みつけて きた はち でしょう。

Show/Hide Romaji
kore wa doko ka no otera de mitsukete kita hachi deshou
Show/Hide Translation
This a bowl that you could find and bring from any temple, isn’t it.
38. ほんとう ほとけさま はち なら
もっと うつくしく ひかり かがやいて いる はず です。」

Show/Hide Romaji
hontou ni hotokesama no hachi nara
motto utsukushiku hikari kagayaite iru hazu desu
Show/Hide Translation
If this was truly Buddha’s bowl,
it ought to shine with a more beautiful light.
39. いしづくり みこ はずかしく なり、 こそこそ にげて いきました。

Show/Hide Romaji
ishizukuri no miko wa hazukashiku nari, kosokoso nigete ikimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Prince Ishizukuri became embarrassed, and secretly ran away

Part 7: The Golden Branch

40. くらもち みこ ほうらいさん いく いって
ふね のりこみました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kuramochi no miko wa houraisan e iku to itte
fune ni norikomimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Prince Kuramochi said he will go to the sacred mountain
and boarded a ship.
41. でも ほうらいさん どこ ある わかりません。

Show/Hide Romaji
demo houraisan ga doko ni aru no ka mo wakarimasen
Show/Hide Translation
But he doesn’t even know where the sacred mountain is.
42. そこ こっそり もどる 、こがねざいく めいじん たち あつめて
こがね えだ つくらせました。

Show/Hide Romaji
soko de kossori modoru to, koganezaiku no meijin tachi o atsumete
kogane no eda o tsukurasemashita
Show/Hide Translation
Thereupon when he returned, he gathered some goldwork masters
and had them make a golden branch.
43. さすが めいじん たち です。

Show/Hide Romaji
sasuga wa meijin tachi desu
Show/Hide Translation
As expected, they are masters indeed.
44. かぐやひめ ほんもの みわけ つかない ほど でした。

Show/Hide Romaji
kaguyahime ni mo honmono to miwake ga tsukanai hodo deshita
Show/Hide Translation
Even Kaguyahime could not make any distinction from the genuine.
45. かぐやひめ こまって いる
そこ めいじん たち てがみ とどけました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kaguyahime ga komatte iru to
soko e meijin tachi ga tegami o todokemashita
Show/Hide Translation
Kaguyahime was troubled but then the masters delivered a letter to her.
46. 「こがね えだ つくった

Show/Hide Romaji
kogane no eda o tsukutta no ni
Show/Hide Translation
In spite of our making of the gold branch
47. くらもちのみこ おかね はらって

Show/Hide Romaji
kuramochi wa okane o haratte kuremasen.
Show/Hide Translation
Prince Kuramochi did not pay us.
48. くれません。どうか ひめ ほう はらって ください。」

Show/Hide Romaji
douka hime no hou de haratte kudasai
Show/Hide Translation
Please somehow pay us from your side, Princess”
49. たちまち にせもの わかり、

Show/Hide Romaji
tachimachi nisemono to wakari,
Show/Hide Translation
Immediately upon knowing about the counterfeit,
50. くらもち みこ あわてて にげかえりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kuramochi no miko mo awatete nigekaerimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Prince Karamochi got panic and ran away.

Part 8: The Fur of A Fire Mouse

51. あべ うだいじん もろこし ふね くる みなと いって
たくさん かね はらい、

Show/Hide Romaji
abe no udaijin wa morokoshi no fune ga kuru minato e itte
takusan no kane o harai
Show/Hide Translation
Minister Abe went to the harbor where the ship came from China
and paid a lot of money,
52. ひ ねずみ かわごろも いれました。

Show/Hide Romaji
hi nezumi no kawagoromo o te ni iremashita
Show/Hide Translation
he got the skin of the fire mouse.
53. かぐやひめ はこ あける うつくしい かわごろも はいって いました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kaguyahime ga hako o akeru to utsukushii kawagoromo ga haitte imashita
Show/Hide Translation
She opened the box and found a beautiful fur
54. 「これ てんじく おぼうさま
はるばる もろこし もって きた もの です。」

Show/Hide Romaji
kore wa tenjiku no obousama ga
harubaru morokoshi e motte kita mono desu
Show/Hide Translation
This is a thing that an Indian monk
brought all the way to China.
55. うだいじん とくい なって せつめい しました。

Show/Hide Romaji
udaijin ga tokui ni natte setsumei shimashita
Show/Hide Translation
The Right Minister proudly explained.
56. 「それで なか いれて みましょう。

Show/Hide Romaji
sorede wa hi no naka ni irete mimashou
Show/Hide Translation
Then let’s put it in the fire and see
57. ひ ねずみ かわごろも なら もえる こと ありません。」

Show/Hide Romaji
hi nezumi no kawagoromo nara moeru koto wa arimasen
Show/Hide Translation
If it is the skin of the fire mouse it will not burn.”
58. ところ なか
かわごろも たちまち もえだして しまいました。

Show/Hide Romaji
tokoro ga hi no naka no
kawagoromo wa tachimachi moedashite shimaimashita
Show/Hide Translation
But regretably in the fire,
the skin immediately began to burn.
59. うだいじん かっと して いいました。

Show/Hide Romaji
udaijin wa katto shite iimashita
Show/Hide Translation
The Right Minister became angry and said.
60. 「あの しょうにん め、 よくも わし だました な。」

Show/Hide Romaji
ano shounin me, yokumo washi o damashita na
Show/Hide Translation
That despicable merchant, how dare he cheat me.

Part 9: Dragon’s Rage

61. おおとも だいなごん じぶん ふね のり、
りゅう さがし でかけました。

Show/Hide Romaji
ootomo no dainagon wa jibun de fune ni nori,
ryuu o sagashi ni dekakemashita
Show/Hide Translation
Chief Ohtomo got on a ship by himself
and went out to search for a dragon.
62. おき でた とたん、 ひどい あらし なりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
oki ni deta totan, hidoi arashi ni narimashita
Show/Hide Translation
As soon as he set off, it became terribly stormy.
63. ふね このは ように ゆれ、 いま しずみ そう です。

Show/Hide Romaji
fune wa konoha no youni yure, ima ni mo shizumi sou desu
Show/Hide Translation
The ship shook like a leaf, and about to sink at any moment.
64. 「りゅう つかまえ よう した から
りゅう おうさま おこりだした だ。」

Show/Hide Romaji
ryuu o tsukamae you to shita kara
ryuu ousama ga okoridashita no da
Show/Hide Translation
Because I tried to catch a dragon
the dragon king got angry.
65. せんどう たち ふるえ あがりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
sendou taachi mo furue agarimashita
Show/Hide Translation
The boatmen also trembled violently.
66. だいなごん もう いきた ここち ありません。

Show/Hide Romaji
dainagon wa mou ikita kokochi mo arimasen
Show/Hide Translation
Chief Ohtomo was scared to death
67. おもわず て あわせて さけびました。

Show/Hide Romaji
omowazu te o awasete sakebimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Without thinking he put his hands together in prayer and shouted.
68. 「りゅう おうさま どうか おゆるし ください。

Show/Hide Romaji
ryuu ousama douka oyurushi kudasai
Show/Hide Translation
Dragon king please forgive me.
69. もう りゅう たま ほしがったり しません から。」

Show/Hide Romaji
mou ryuu no tama o hoshigattari shimasen kara
Show/Hide Translation
I no longer dare to want a dragon’s ball.
70. それ でも みっか みばん うみ あれつづけ、

Show/Hide Romaji
sore demo mikka miban umi wa aretsuzuke
Show/Hide Translation
And yet the sea remained rough for three days and three nights,
71. ようやく はまべ ながれつきました。

Show/Hide Romaji
youyaku hamabe ni nagaretsukimashita
Show/Hide Translation
finally they floated to the beach.
72. だいなごん それっきり かぐやひめ ところ いきません でした。

Show/Hide Romaji
dainagon wa sorekkiri kaguyahime no tokoro e wa ikimasen deshita
Show/Hide Translation
Since then, Chief Ohtomo did not return to the place of Kaguyahime.

Part 10: Swallow & Shellfish

73. いそのかみ ちゅうなごん ほくほく して いました。

Show/Hide Romaji
isonokami no chuunagon wa hokuhoku shite imashita
Show/Hide Translation
Councillor Isonokami was chuckling to himself
74. つばめ す なら どこ でも あります。

Show/Hide Romaji
tsubame no su nara doko ni demo arimasu
Show/Hide Translation
In the case of a swallow’s nests, they exist everywhere.
75. ある ひ、 てんしさま ごてん ある くら のきした
つばめ みつけました。

Show/Hide Romaji
aru hi, tenshisama no goten ni aru kura no nokishita ni
tsubame no su o mitsukemashita
Show/Hide Translation
One day, under the eaves of a warehouse in the Emperor’s Palace,
he found a swallow’s nest
76. さっそく けらい たち あしば つくらせ、 かご つりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
sassoku kerai tachi ni ashiba o tsukurase, kago o tsurimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Right away he had his men make a scaffolding, and hang a basket.
77. かご のった ちゅうなごん なか いれる
こやすがい ありました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kago ni notta chuunagon ga su no naka ni te o ireru to
koyasugai ga arimashita
Show/Hide Translation
When the councillor got in the basket and put his hand in the nest,
the shellfish was there.
78. 「みつかった ! はやく かご おろせ。」

Show/Hide Romaji
mitsukatta zo! hayaku kago o orose
Show/Hide Translation
I found it! Quickly bring down the basket.
79. けらいたち あわてて つな もち あげたら、

Show/Hide Romaji
keraitachi ga awatete tsuna o mochi agetara,
Show/Hide Translation
While his men hurriedly let the rope up,
80. かご おっこち、ちゅうなごん あおむけ たおれました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kago ga okkochi, chuunagon mo aomuke ni taoremashit
Show/Hide Translation
The basket fell and Councillor Isonokami also fell down on his back.
81. それ でも こやすがい しっかり にぎって います。

Show/Hide Romaji
sore demo koyasugai o shikkari to nigitte imasu
Show/Hide Translation
He was still holding the shellfish firmly.
82. でも、 よく よく みて みたら つばめ ふん でした。

Show/Hide Romaji
demo, yoku yoku mite mitara tsubame no fun deshita
Show/Hide Translation
But, when they looked closely, there was a swallow’s dropping.

Part 11: A Sad Princess

83. だれ よめ する こと できなかった かぐやひめ
ますます うつくしく なって いきました。

Show/Hide Romaji
dare mo yome ni suru koto ga dekinakatta kaguyahime wa
masumasu utsukushiku natte ikimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Kaguyahime who nobody could make their bride
became increasingly beautiful.
84. ところ それから よねん め はる きた ころ です。

Show/Hide Romaji
tokoro ga sore kara yonen me haru ga kita koro desu
Show/Hide Translation
However, it happened about when the Spring came in the fourth year after that.
85. かぐやひめ つき ながめて なみだ ながす よう なりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kaguyahime ga tsuki o nagamete wa namida o nagasu you ni narimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Kaguyahime came to shed tears whenever she looked at the moon.
86. 「なに しんぱい ごと でも ある かい。」

Show/Hide Romaji
nani ka shinpai koto demo aru no kai
Show/Hide Translation
Is there anything worrying you, or something?
87. おじいさん きいて おばあさん きいて

Show/Hide Romaji
ojiisan ga kiite mo obaasan ga kiite mo
Show/Hide Translation
No matter whether the old man asked or the old woman asked,
88. やさしく ほほえんで くび ふる ばかり です。

Show/Hide Romaji
yasashiku hohoende kubi o furu bakari desu
Show/Hide Translation
she only smiled gently and turned her head.
89. それでも つき まるく なる つれて、

Show/Hide Romaji
soredemo tsuki ga maruku naru ni tsurete
Show/Hide Translation
But as the moon became round,
90. かぐやひめ ますます かなしがり、
すすりなく よう なりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kaguyahime wa masumasu kanashigari,
susurinaku you ni narimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Kaguyahime came to show more sadness and weep.

Part 12: The Reason

91. 「おまえ かなし そうな すがた みて いる
わたし まで かなしく なって しまう。」

Show/Hide Romaji
omae no kanashi souna sugata o mite iru to
watashi made kanashiku natte shimau
Show/Hide Translation
Seeing you look so sad,
also makes me sad
92. 「おねがい だから わけ はなして おくれ。」

Show/Hide Romaji
onegai dakara wake o hanashite okure
Show/Hide Translation
Therefore, please tell us the reason why.
93. おじいさん おばあさん なみだ ながして いいました。

Show/Hide Romaji
ojiisan mo obaasan mo namida o nagashite iimashita
Show/Hide Translation
said the old man and old woman, shedding tears.
94. すると かぐやひめ いっぱい なみだ ためて いいました。

Show/Hide Romaji
suruto kaguyahime mo me ni ippai namida o tamete iimashita
Show/Hide Translation
And then Kaguyahime’s eyes filled with tears and she said
95. 「じつ わたし つき みやこ もの です。

Show/Hide Romaji
jitsu wa watashi wa tsuki no miyako no mono desu
Show/Hide Translation
To tell the truth, I am someone of the capital of the moon.
96. じゅうご や ばん きたら

Show/Hide Romaji
juugo ya no ban ga kitara
Show/Hide Translation
When the night of the next full moon comes
97. てんにん たち むかえ やって きます。

Show/Hide Romaji
tennin tachi ga mukae ni yatte kimasu
Show/Hide Translation
the people from heaven will come to get me.
98. わたし かわいがって くれた おとうさま おかあさま
わかれる おもう
それ かなしくて……」

Show/Hide Romaji
watashi o kawaigatte kureta otousama ya okaasama to
wakareru no ka to omou to
sore ga kanashitekute
Show/Hide Translation
Thinking that I will be separated from my beloved father and mother,
its so sad.”

Part 13: Protecting The Princess

99. 「そんな こと させる もん か。」
おじいさん いいました。

Show/Hide Romaji
sonna koto o saseru mon ka.
ojiisan ga iimashita
Show/Hide Translation
We will not permit such a thing,
said the old man
100. おじいさん おうじさま たのんで
かぐやひめ まもって もらう こと しました。

Show/Hide Romaji
ojiisan wa oujisama ni tanonde
kaguyahime o mamotte morau koto ni shimashita
Show/Hide Translation
The old man decided to ask the emperor to protect Kaguyahime.
101. じゅうご や くる

Show/Hide Romaji
juugo ya no hi ga kuru to,
Show/Hide Translation
When the day of the full moon came,
102. おうじさま けらい にせんにん きて
おじいさん やしき まわり かこみました。

Show/Hide Romaji
oujisama no kerai ga nisennin mo kite
ojiisan no yashiki no mawari o kakomimashita
Show/Hide Translation
as many as 2000 of the emperor’s attendants came
and surrounded the old man’s house.
103. かぐやひめ やしき いちばん おく へや いれられ、
おじいさん おはあさん しっかり だきかかえました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kaguyahime wa yashiki no ichiban oku no heya ni irerare,
ojiisan to obaasan ga shikkari to dakikakaemashita
Show/Hide Translation
Kaguyahime was put in the deepest room of the house,
and the old man and woman held her firmly in their arms.

Part 14: People from The Moon

104. やがて よる なり、
まんげつ のぼり はじめる

Show/Hide Romaji
yagate yoru ni nari,
mangetsu ga nobori hajimeru to,
Show/Hide Translation
Before long it became evening,
the full moon began to rise and,
105. そら まひる ように あかるく なりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
sora ga mahiru no you ni akaruku narimashita
Show/Hide Translation
the sky became bright like high noon.
106. する おおきな くも ゆっくり おりて きました。

Show/Hide Romaji
suru to ookina kumo ga yukkuri to orite kimashita
Show/Hide Translation
And then a large cloud came down slowly.
107. くも うえ くるま かこむ ように して
おおぜい てんにん たち たっていました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kumo no ue ni wa kuruma o kakomu you ni shite
oozei no tennin tachi ga tatteimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Above the cloud, there stood a great many people from heaven surrounding a cart.
108. みんな ちから ぬけて しまい、
どうして からだ うごかす こと できません。

Show/Hide Romaji
minna chikara ga nukete shimai,
doushite mo karada o ugokasu koto ga dekimasen
Show/Hide Translation
Everyone’s strength fade,
and no matter hard they try, they could not move their bodies at all.
109. てんにん たち のせた くも

Show/Hide Romaji
tennin tachi o noseta kumo ga
Show/Hide Translation
The cloud on which the people from heaven were riding
110. にわ から
すこし うえ ところ とまりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
niwa kara
sukoshi ue no tokoro de tomarimashita
Show/Hide Translation
stopped a little above the garden.
111. すみきった こえ ひびき わたりました。

Show/Hide Romaji
sumikitta koe ga hibiki watarimashita
Show/Hide Translation
A very clear voice sounded all over.
112. 「たけとり おきな、 かぐやひめ むかえ きました。

Show/Hide Romaji
taketori no okina, kaguyahime o mukae ni kimashita.
Show/Hide Translation
Old man bamboo cutter, we came for Kaguyahime.
113. これ まで ひめ そだてて くれて ありがとう。」

Show/Hide Romaji
kore made hime o sodatte kurete arigatou
Show/Hide Translation
Thank you for raising the princess until now.”
114. その とたん、しめきって いた やしき おと なく あいて、

Show/Hide Romaji
sono totan, shimekitte ita yashiki no to ga oto mo naku aite,
Show/Hide Translation
At that moment, the completely closed door of the house opened without a sound,
115. かぐやひめ ふたり そば はなれました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kaguyahime ga futari no soba o hanaremashita
Show/Hide Translation
Kaguyahime departed from the company of her parents.

Part 15: A Goodbye

116. かぐやひめ にわ でる
てんによ はごろも まといました。

Show/Hide Romaji
kaguyahime wa niwa e deru to
tennin no hagoromo o matoimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Kaguyahime went out to the garden
and she wore a heavenly woman’s robe of feathers.
117. 「おとうさま、 おかあさま、 おわかれ です。さようなら。

Show/Hide Romaji
otousama, okaasama, owakare desu. sayounara
Show/Hide Translation
Father, mother, it is farewell. Good Bye
118. どうか これ わたし おもって たいせつ して ください。」

Show/Hide Romaji
douka kore o watashi to omotte taisetsu ni shite kudasai
Show/Hide Translation
Please think of this as me and take care of it well”
119. かぐやひめ きて いた きもの おじいさん わたして
くるま のりました

Show/Hide Romaji
kaguyahime wa kite ita kimono o ojiisan ni watashite
kuruma ni norimashita
Show/Hide Translation
Kaguyahime gave the kimono she was wearing to her father
and got in the cart
120. てんにん たち かこまれた かぐやひめ は

Show/Hide Romaji
tennin tachi ni kakomareta kaguyahime wa
Show/Hide Translation
Kaguyahime who was surrounded by the heavenly people
121. まんげつ ひかり かがやく なか たかく たかく のぼって いきました。

Show/Hide Romaji
man tsuki no hikari kagayaku naka o takaku takaku nobotte ikimashita
Show/Hide Translation
went up up in the shining light of the full moon.

How did it goes?

Reading practice is very useful to burn hiragana alphabet to your brain. It undeniably hard at the first time, but gradually it will get better!! If this practice seems hard, try it again on the next day until it becomes easy for you to read it 。゚✶ฺ.ヽ(*´∀`*)ノ.✶゚ฺ。

Want some more?
Check out the most recommended book for beginner Japanese reading Practice!
Or go back and pick another story

Having trouble with reading hiragana or katakana? Check out these link:
Learning Hiragana with mnemonics
Learning Katakana with mnemonics

74 comments

  1. In Part 1 Line 8 it says だきしめました with romaji “dakishimeshita” but that should be “dakishimemashita”, right?

    1. だきしめました read it again it’s not “dakishimeshita” , it’s “dakishimemashita” 😄

  2. Hello! There is no sentence number six.. in sentence number seven there is a close bracket. Is the no. six sentence missing?

  3. Thanks for this! I just learned hiragana and was actually planning to purchase a bilingual manga for practice. (I also read that post you made about where to purchase) I think I’ll stick to this practice for the mean time and then move on to katakana. Cheers!

    1. You’re welcome~ Feel free to use all the reading practice materials provided within this site 😀 It’s not much but we’ll keep improving!
      Happy learning! 😉

  4. It should be ojiisan instead of ojisan in the first sentence. Also, there is no number 6. In number 18, gonin is in kanji instead of hiragana.

  5. In #14 and 15, it’s says persons instead of people. Person is a singular word while people is a plural. Please fix that as soon as possible. Thanks!

  6. I’ve just started learning Hiragana and the reading selections here are great practice. Cheers!

    1. We’re very short on resources so the updates are so delayed. But yes, it will be continued. So please subscribe and you should received notification for new updates 😀

  7. This is so great. I usually use flashcards but there’s only so much it can do. With this I can see which hiragana I usually have problems with (ohgod I hate sa and chi so much), and I can also see how fast I can actually read hiragana. Thank you so much for this.

    1. First, master reading the words. Then start building basic vocabulary 😀 When you truly knows a word and a particle, you will be able to distinguish them easily 😀 Imsureyoucouldstillunderstandthissentenceright? 😀

    2. thank you very much I have just read the story and it gets easier by every sentence I read, that was really useful. I hope you add the rest of the story as soon because I enjoyed it, and even I know the end but reading it with the original language is completely different. Thank you!

  8. How do you seperate the words while reading? This is my biggest problem… Anyways I really liked the story, I hope it will be continued soon. (:

    1. After you master reading the words, then you will need to expand your vocabulary. Once you do that, you will be able to separate the words in no time 😀 For example : Imsureyoucanstillreadthissentenceright? That’s what will happen in Japanese too 😀

  9. On line 7 in the romaji it says: onna no ko. But in Hiragana the no (の) is apparently a particle but the romaji doesn’t have that marked in bold. But either way, thanks!

  10. Wow thank you so much for posting this. I just finished learning hiragana, took me about four hours since I’m used to seeing the characters and this has been a great HELP to practice reading .
    I could read it but its gonna take a lot of effort understanding it.

    1. Understanding is a different matter than reading! It’s great that you could read it now. やったね! To understand will take times and more practice! Try to really look on one word meaning one at a time, and you’ll understand much in no time! Good luck! 😀

  11. great practice! but there is a mistake in the first sentence.
    the particle @ taketori no okina isnt marked as one, its not bold. or am i wrong?

  12. if you really tryhard this entire article, you can easily learn hiragana….. and discover that it is a piece of cake UwU

  13. oh i tried reading it and my god i read so slow. sometimes i stumble upon a character and takes me a while to remember. also i think i should enhance my vocabulary too but thanks for this!

  14. Very helpful! I wrote it back in my notebook while listening to anime songs and make it easier to pronoun japan’s words.

  15. Hi,
    I have searched lot many options for kids stories, but then found crunchynihongo is the best one. It is very interesting when the story continues but then…we need the continuation. Kindly, upload full Stories as my niece is also learning Japanese but when story ends in the middle she loose the interest.

    1. Thank you for your interest. And we’re sorry for the inconvenience :'( we’ re planning to finish the story in a few months after completing our priority projects. Meanwhile, have you check komorebi on appstore? It’s free to play and might be interest to you and your niece while taking the time to wait for the full story 🙂

    1. Currently, no. But we’re working on it! 😀 it might take a while but please look forward for it~

  16. Hello is it normal if i read them slow? I started learning all hiragana characters in a few days and I just started practicing my reading skill for hiragana.

    1. Super normal! And you seems doing great! Keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll be great in no time! 😀

    1. Hey! We’re currently developing apps right now, and since we don’t have enough people, the story will only be updated after the apps development are completed.
      We do understand that it take a long time and we’re very sorry for the inconvenience 🙁

      Meanwhile, have you check Komorebi ? It’s our free apps to help you learn Japanese vocabularies easier, we hope you like it! You can download it in playstore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Momologic.Komorebi

  17. Hi, i finished leaerning hiragana i little while ago and i’m currentlu trying to learn how to read better (without understanding), and i have a questin. Why are some characters fatmarked, and what fo they mean?

    1. They are japanese particles ☺️☺️ since all of them are hiragana, it’s quite hard to differentiate them, hence the bold / fatmark

  18. for line 47
    the hiragana is missing くりません at the end
    and Romaji is missing “no miko” after “kuramochi”

  19. Thank you very much for the reading practice materials. It’s getting a lot easier for me to learn hiragana, because of the practices. But I am having hard time on separating words. Eg: したら ねもと but im reading them as one word. Is there a way to know when the words are together and when the words are separate?

    1. Some important particles are in bold so you know it’s separated 😀 but for the rest, you will need to improve your vocabulary and grammar skill to differentiate them. For instance example, I believe you can read ‘thisisadog’ with no problem. Because you understand enough grammar and vocabulary to read the sentence without space 😊 hope it helps!

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