The Most Famous Japanese Ghost Legend

Sarayashiki Okiku No Rei

Bancho Sarayashiki

番町皿屋敷

Original Language  :  Japanese Language

Translated by  :  Yoko  Harumi  Shiroiko

This is one of famous ghost story in Japan.  Everyone in Japan knows about this legend.  About the ghost whom could not rest in peace because killed unjustly.  Sometimes, this ghost came down to earth and stay in your kitchen when you holding a celebration.

Becareful.............................................

 

" Why do you very stupid ?!?!?!?! "

A voice shouts in a beautiful morning.  Ah, we know that !  That sounds came from an evil Samurai.  He was known as the best murder at that time. The evil samurai got wrath to his maid.  He thinks his maid did not done well and the results of her work always bad.  He kicked out of his maid while slammed plates.

This maid is umpteenth maid whom got fired. He told to his maid to immediately passed out of his sight.  The Samurai really disappointed with all maids.  So, he made a competition to seeking a new maid.

In summary,  a beautiful poor woman has been chosen.  Her name is Okiku.  She's being a new maid soon for the evil samurai.

One day, when Okiku carried a tea tray for him, the evil samurai bewitched with her pretty face.  He tried to closer with her and tried to seduced her.  But, Okiku refused him.

" You really very pretty, Young lady. "  said the evil samurai while hold her chin.

Okiku dodged him.

" I really am sorry, My Honor.  This is extremely inappropriate. Excuse me..... "

Okiku hurried to gone. She was scared with that Samurai.

But, the evil samurai named Aoyama Tessan didn't give up.  He swore to his self will getting Okiku.  For him, Okiku is only his maid.  And maid didn't allowed to refused what the master's request. Aoyama felt very eager to her. His desire is to made her being his mistress.  Whereas, Aoyama's mistress already too lots.

Okiku has a boyfriend who lived in far away little village from her working place. She always miss her boyfriend and promised will take a lot of money for their wedding. They always corresponded behind of Aoyama Tessan.  If that evil Samurai knows one of his maid corresponded even with their family, he's gonna kill his maids no mercy.

Okiku is a good maid.  She really diligent. Cleaning a house, served the evil Samurai's wife even she didn't hesitate to helped the work of others maid.  The evil Samurai's wife really like her. She offered to Okiku being her private servant.  Again,  Okiku refused her.

" I am sorry, My Honor.  I feel don't deserve to serving you.  Better, you looking for another one...."  said Okiku gently.

Her humble made the evil Samurai's wife more impressed with her.  Another maids also loved her because of her humble and her attitude.  They wished Okiku never get fired forever and they could be best fried forever too. Unfortunately,  Okiku didn't realized what will happen to her life later.

Aoyama's wife getting closer to her husband for beg him to lifted Okiku as her private servant.  Aoyama's passion lecherous to Okiku made him to allowed his wife to lifted Okiku as her private servant.  This will be my chance. My good opportunity to getting her be my lovely mistress, he mumbled.

In the next morning, as normally day,  Okiku prepared of a tea tray and carried to Samurai Aoyama.  When Aoyama saw her served a tea for him, soon he took a place nearby Okiku and tried seduced her again.

" My pretty lady........."  said Aoyama whispered behind of Okiku's ears.

Okiku shocked and took some steps to stay away from the Samurai.  But, Samurai Aoyama keep getting closer to her.  He gave Okiku a sign to do not avoid him. Okiku kept avoid him and ran out.

" Damn !!! A bitch !!! You want to playing with me ? Ok, I will do that. "  he growled while beat the wall.

More and more, Aoyama could not bear up to having Okiku on his arms.  His lecherous passion uncontrolled.  Even, he brave to seduced Okiku in front of his wife.  One night, before he went to war,  he said to his wife that he wanted marry Okiku. His wife very shocked. She knew that her husband has a lot of mistress already behind her.  But, she did not understand why should Okiku !

As a woman,  she can do nothing.  Because she is very disappointed, she ordered Okiku to not being her servant anymore.  Okiku just quiet.  She obeyed to her female master.  Samurai Aoyama's wife ordered Okiku to clean kitchen and her job only washing dishes.  Okiku understood with her female master's feeling when she saw her husband tried seduced her.

" Okiku, are you get fired ? "  asked one of maid in the kitchen as well as her best friend when she seeing Okiku washing dishes at the kitchen.

Okiku shook her head.  She just smile to her best friend.

" Mrs. Aoyama asked me to came back to the kitchen and washing these dishes here with you. "

Her best friend laughed at her. But, actually she hide lots of question marks in her heart. She didn't want asked to Okiku more. She's happy seeing Okiku helped her at the kitchen. Also, all maids in the house greeted her when they seeing Okiku at the kitchen.

After a while,  when Aoyama Tessan came back to home from war safely.  She welcomed by his wife.  But Samurai Aoyama, didn't excited to seeing his wife. Samurai Aoyama carried spoils of war in the form Dutch plates. These plates are precious plates.  Samurai Aoyama wanted showed these plates to Okiku.

In the night, when everybody fallen sleep, Samurai Aoyama knocked the door of Okiku's room. Because Okiku was fallen sleep too, Samurai Aoyama opened the door and came into her room very slowly.  He looked at Okiku was fallen sleep. He took a chair and sat beside Okiku for adored her pretty face.

Accidentally,  Samurai Aoyama seeing letters above on the table.  He took the letters and read. How so disappointed him when he knows the letters from Okiku's boyfriend.  He left Okiku's room while carried the letters with him.  Samurai Aoyama burn the letters.

" Aahh.....Okiku...you just a girl. A pretty innocent girl. You are into this love game ! You starting but I will over it.... " he mumbled while looked those letters burnt by fire.

After all, Samurai Aoyama seeing a maid who served a tea tray for him was not Okiku.  He asked to his wife then his wife said Okiku is no longer her servant.  Samurai Aoyama asked to his wife called Okiku. And he asked to the maid to left him alone. Samurai's Aoyama brought Okiku to front of her husband. 

Samurai Aoyama gave her sign to left them alone. Without do nothing, his wife left them while hold her painful heart.  Samurai Aoyama tried to getting closer Okiku.  He asked Okiku took a place beside him.  Okiku bowed her head only. She shook her head as sign she rejected him.

" I am sorry, My Honor. I could not hurting your wife....."

Samurai Aoyama didn't give up.  He tried to seduced Okiku.  Okiku still calm down and refused her master passion to her with gently. Because impatiently to have a deal with her refusing,  Samurai Aoyama almost rape Okiku. Fortunately, Okiku able to escaped. She is shocked.  She couldn't thinking calmly. She's scared of the evil master. She ran and ran to the kitchen and cried.  She told to all maids that Samurai Aoyama tried to rape her.

Meanwhile, when Samurai Aoyama's wife saw Okiku ran out very  fast from her room, she rushed to seeing her husband.  She seeing her husband with rumpled dress.  She cries because she knows what was happened in the room.

" Stop crying, woman ! I don't like to hear your stupid voices ! "  Aoyama's yelled to his wife.

Samurai Aoyama looked so very disappointed. He looked so angry. He can't accepted with Okiku's refusing to him. In this time, he won't give any chances to Okiku. His soul killer  flare up !

In the night, Samurai Aoyama asked to his guard to called Okiku.  But this time, Samurai Aoyama accompanied by his wife in his side.

" Okiku overlooking my Honor. What can I do for you ? "  said Okiku when she arrived to the evil Samurai's family room.

Aoyama Tessan give a sign to his guard to take the Dutch plates as spoils of war last time.  The guard came back and submitted to Samurai Aoyama.  Samurai Aoyama showed the plates to Okiku.

" You know what is this, Okiku ? This is Dutch plates as spoils of war last time. Do you know why do I showing these to you ? "  asked him with the thundered voice.

Okiku shook her head. Still bowed her head.

" I want you to take care of these plates with  all of your heart and soul. You know, these plates are precious plates. None of people in Japan have these plates like this. So, you have to cleaning these plates day by day. And remember, these plates amount 10 plates. Do not ever you losing one ! Understand ? "  he is continued.

" I am promise to you, My Honor. I will take care those plates with all my heart and soul. "  Okiku replied.

Samurai Aoyama nodded his head.  Okiku didn't know at all that was one of his way to trapped Okiku because of her refusing.

Day by day, she cleaned those plates carefully.  While she cleaned those plates, she counted amount of plates so there was nothing missing one.

One day, Samurai Aoyama came into the kitchen without no one knows and checking around to looking for his plates. He found the plates below dishes cabinet. He took one of those Dutch plates. His planned to slandering Okiku as avenged his broken heart because Okiku's refusing.....

In the next morning, when Okiku cleaned the Dutch plates, she counted amount of plates, she is very shocked when she knew the plates is missing one.  She screamed. She scared. She crying.  Her maid friends helped her to find one other plate. But, after they looking around of the house, they didn't found anything.

" Be patience, Okiku. Just saying the truth to Mr. Samurai Aoyama.  I am sure he will forgive you later...."  said one of her friend.

Okiku awaited Samurai Aoyama in front of house gate. She wished could get a mercy from him. When she saw a chain in a distance, Okiku came into the house. She awaited her master in family room.  Samurai Aoyama arrived at family room when he saw Okiku sat and bowed her head.

" What's going on with you ? You don't have any jobs you can do ?? " asked Samurai Aoyama loudly.

" I  wanna talk with you about something, My Honor...."  Okiku answered. She gulped.

" Continue......." said Samurai Aoyama took a place for sit.

" I am asking your mercy, My Honor. I really am sorry. I don't know who was stolen your plate but I swear that I didn't losing your precious Dutch plates, My Honor. I want to say that your precious Dutch plates missing one..... "  said Okiku stuttered.

" What ?!?!?! My plates is missing one ?!?!?!?! "  Samurai Aoyama shrieked. " Are you stupid or what ?!?!?! Your head can't buy those plates even for one !! And now you said you lost one of them !!!!???? "

His shouts heard up to the entire house. All maids shocked and went out of their room as well as Samurai Aoyama's wife whom shocked heard her husband's shouts.

Okiku's body trembling. She never seen Samurai Aoyama so angry with loudly voice.  One of Okiku's best friend tried to defended her when she saw Okiku cries with trembling.

" My Honor, I am sorry for interruption. But, I know very well that Okiku didn't mean to losing one of your plates. "

" Shut up !!!!!!!!! I don't need your defence about your friend ! "  Samurai Aoyama more get wrath.

His wife tried to made him calm down but it's useless.

" Okiku, do you know what deserve punishment to someone who losing one of precious goods in this house ?! "  Aoyama shrieked.  Okiku shook her head while begging for mercy.

" The appropriate punishment for someone like that is  putting to death !!!!!!!!! " Aoyama snapped Okiku on her ears.

" I am sorry, My Honor...trust me........I didn't do that....I didn't losing your plates..... " Okiku's body trembling. She cried and begging for mercy to Samurai Aoyama. She begging repeatedly but Samurai Aoyama didn't care.

She cried and kissed his feet but Aoyama kicked her face. Samurai Aoyama ordered his guard to took a Samurai sword.

" I will give you a mercy if you say now you willing to be my mistress ! "

Okiku shook her head.

" I am sorry, My honor. I could not. I have a true love in my village. We preparing our wedding there. I'll be his wife for no longer.  I can't betray him to be your mistress...."  Okiku explained with rain of tears and kissed his feet.

Samurai Aoyama swing his sword to Okiku's head. She lost her head.  Her head rolled to Samurai Aoyama's wife's feet. Samurai Aoyama's wife screamed loudly and suddenly she gets psychiatric disorders.

Samurai Aoyama ordered his guards to throw up Okiku's body to a well.  Okiku's soul can not take rest.  Her soul came to Samurai Aoyama's house every day since that terrible night. Her soul turned into the ghost and frighten anyone.

Every maids in that house always heard Okiku's groaning from a deep of well where she was thrown by Aoyama Tessan. 

According their testimony,  everynight they always heard the ghost of Okiku counting amount of the plates from 1 to 10. But, if she counted to 9 only, the ghost will screaming all over night. Bothering everyone whom fall asleep to helped her find the last of plates.

So, as alive human, if you hear the ghost of Okiku starting count the plates from 1 to 10 then her counting stop in 9th. You have to shouted the 10. So, the ghost of Okiku won't bothering you or screaming all over night.