Urashima Taro: The Fisherman Who Visited the Dragon King’s Undersea Palace

Long ago, in the province of Tango, there was a small fishing village called Mizu-no-ye. Among its inhabitants lived a young fisherman named Urashima Taro.

Fishing seemed to run in his family. His father had been a fisherman, and Taro had inherited his skill. Before long, he became famous throughout the surrounding countryside for his remarkable ability to catch fish. He could bring home more bonito and sea bream in a single day than many other fishermen caught in an entire week.

Yet his greatest quality was not his fishing talent. Taro was known above all for his gentle heart.

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He disliked cruelty and had never taken pleasure in hurting another living creature. Even as a child, he had refused to join his companions when they teased animals for amusement. Instead, he tried to persuade them to leave the creatures alone.

One summer evening, as Taro was returning home after a long day at sea, he heard the excited voices of children nearby.

Curious, he approached and discovered a group of boys gathered around a frightened tortoise. They were pulling it from side to side, striking it with sticks, and hitting its shell with stones.

Taro immediately felt sorry for the helpless animal.

“Stop that!” he called. “Can’t you see how much you are hurting the poor creature? If you continue, it may die!”

But the boys ignored him. One of the older children laughed and told the others to carry on.

Taro considered what he could do. He knew that scolding them would probably achieve nothing, so he decided to appeal to their interests instead.

“Come now,” he said with a friendly smile. “You are good boys, aren’t you? Would you let me have the tortoise?”

“Why should we give it to you?” one boy replied. “We caught it ourselves!”

“That is true,” Taro answered. “But I am willing to pay you for it. Here, take these coins. You can buy yourselves something enjoyable with the money.”

He showed them the coins he carried.

The children soon became interested. Their excitement turned to agreement, and the leader finally handed the tortoise over.

Taro gave them the money, and the boys hurried away, pleased with their bargain.

Now the fisherman gently stroked the tortoise’s shell.

“Poor little creature,” he said. “You were fortunate that I came along. People say that a tortoise may live for ten thousand years, yet those boys nearly brought your life to an end. Be careful from now on. I shall take you back to the sea.”

Carrying the tortoise carefully, Taro walked down to the shore. He placed it in the water and watched as it disappeared beneath the waves.

Satisfied that the creature was safe, he returned home.

The Tortoise Returns

The following morning, Taro set out for another day of fishing.

The weather was beautiful. The sky stretched blue above the calm sea, and a gentle summer haze softened the distant horizon.

He rowed farther from the shore than usual, enjoying the peaceful morning. As he cast his fishing line, his thoughts wandered.

He remembered the tortoise he had rescued and wondered what it must be like to enjoy such a long life. For a moment, he wished that human beings could live for thousands of years too.

Suddenly, a voice called across the water.

“Urashima! Urashima!”

Taro stood up and searched the surrounding sea. He could see no other fishing boat nearby, and the voice seemed to come from nowhere.

Then he noticed a tortoise swimming beside his boat.

To his astonishment, it was the very creature he had rescued the previous evening.

“Was that you calling my name?” he asked.

The tortoise nodded.

“Yes, it was I. Thanks to your kindness, my life was saved. I have come to express my gratitude.”

Taro was delighted.

“How wonderful! Come aboard and rest in the sunshine. I would offer you something to drink, but I suppose you would prefer something other than tobacco.”

The tortoise laughed and replied that it preferred sake to tobacco.

Taro laughed too, wishing he had brought some rice wine with him.

After they had exchanged friendly words, the tortoise asked an unexpected question.

“Have you ever visited Rin Gin, the magnificent palace of the Dragon King of the Sea?”

Taro shook his head.

“I have spent almost my entire life on the sea, but I have never seen such a place. I have heard stories about the Sea King’s palace, of course, but I never imagined I would visit it.”

“Then you have missed one of the greatest wonders in the world,” said the tortoise. “It lies beneath the ocean, but I can take you there if you wish.”

Taro was interested but uncertain.

“That sounds wonderful. However, I am only a human fisherman. I cannot swim through the ocean like you.”

“You need not swim,” the tortoise assured him. “Simply ride upon my back.”

Taro looked at the little creature in surprise.

“Your back seems much too small to carry me!”

“Do not worry. Climb aboard and see for yourself.”

As he spoke, the tortoise began to grow until its shell was large enough to carry a grown man comfortably.

Taro stared in amazement before climbing onto its back.

With the fisherman safely seated, the tortoise plunged into the sea.

Down they travelled through the blue waters, passing through the mysterious depths. Although Taro was surrounded by the ocean, his clothes remained dry, and he felt perfectly comfortable.

After a long journey, a magnificent structure appeared in the distance. A grand entrance stood before an enormous palace whose beautiful roofs rose above the surrounding landscape.

“Is that the Dragon King’s palace?” Taro asked.

“Yes,” replied the tortoise. “We have arrived at Rin Gin.”

The Palace Beneath the Waves

When they reached the palace entrance, the tortoise led Taro to the gatekeeper, a fish, and introduced him as an honoured visitor from Japan.

The gatekeeper welcomed them and guided them inside.

Soon, important members of the Sea King’s court came forward to greet the stranger. Among them were red sea bream, flounder, sole, and cuttlefish, all dressed in magnificent ceremonial garments.

They bowed respectfully to Taro and thanked the tortoise for bringing him safely to their kingdom.

The young fisherman had never experienced anything like this. He was accustomed to a simple life in his fishing village, not the elaborate manners of a royal court. Nevertheless, the warmth of his hosts made him feel welcome.

As he entered the inner palace, an extraordinary sight awaited him.

A beautiful princess approached, accompanied by her attendants. Her flowing robes were decorated in shades of red and green, with golden threads shimmering through the fabric. Her long black hair fell gracefully over her shoulders, and her voice was as melodious as music.

Taro could hardly find words to express his astonishment.

The princess took him by the hand and welcomed him into the palace.

“Urashima Taro,” she said, “I am delighted that you have come to my father’s kingdom.”

She then revealed something that left him speechless.

“Yesterday, when you rescued the tortoise, you saved my life. That tortoise was actually me, living in another form. I wished to thank you personally for your kindness.”

Taro listened in wonder.

The princess continued:

“You may remain here if you wish. This is a land where youth never fades, summer never ends, and sorrow has no place. I would also be happy to become your wife, and together we could live here in happiness.”

Her name was Otohime.

Taro was overwhelmed by her kindness and beauty, and by the extraordinary opportunity before him.

He gladly accepted her invitation.

A magnificent celebration followed. The palace servants brought an elaborate feast of fish and seaweed, arranged on beautiful coral trays. The dishes were unlike anything Taro had ever tasted.

The wedding ceremony was celebrated with great splendour. The couple shared the ceremonial wine, while music filled the palace. Beautiful fish with shining silver scales and golden tails danced in celebration.

For Taro, it was the happiest and most astonishing occasion of his life.

The Garden of Four Seasons

After the wedding festivities, Otohime invited her husband to explore the wonders of the Sea King’s kingdom.

The palace itself was magnificent, built with coral and decorated with pearls. Yet Taro found its surrounding garden even more remarkable.

There, the four seasons existed together.

When he looked towards the east, he saw the beauty of spring. Plum and cherry blossoms covered the trees, nightingales sang among the flowers, and butterflies moved gracefully through the colourful gardens.

To the south lay summer. The trees were covered in rich green leaves, while insects filled the warm air with their familiar songs.

Turning west, Taro discovered autumn. Maple trees glowed with brilliant colours, and chrysanthemums blossomed in abundance.

But the northern garden presented an entirely different scene. Snow covered the ground, trees, and bamboo, while a nearby pond lay frozen beneath a blanket of ice.

Taro could hardly believe that all four seasons existed in one place.

Every day brought fresh delights. He enjoyed the company of Otohime, explored the beautiful palace, and experienced pleasures far beyond anything he had known in his fishing village.

So completely was he absorbed in his new life that he forgot his former home.

Three days passed.

Then, quite suddenly, memories of his parents returned.

He remembered his old father and mother, whom he had left behind without telling them where he was going.

“How worried they must be!” he thought. “They have probably been waiting for me all this time. I must return home immediately and see whether they are well.”

Although he had everything he could desire in the Sea King’s kingdom, he could no longer ignore his longing to see his parents.

The Princess’s Farewell Gift

Taro went to Otohime and respectfully explained his decision.

“My dear princess, you have shown me more kindness than I could ever repay. I have been happier here than I could have imagined. But I must return to my home. My elderly parents are waiting for me, and I cannot remain here without knowing what has become of them.”

Otohime was deeply saddened.

“Are you unhappy here?” she asked. “Have I not treated you well? Please remain with me for just one more day.”

But Taro’s mind was made up.

“It is not because I am unhappy. I simply must see my parents. Allow me to visit them, and I promise that I will return.”

Seeing that he would not change his decision, Otohime reluctantly agreed.

Before he departed, she brought him a beautiful lacquered box decorated with a red silk cord and tassels.

“Please accept this as a keepsake of our love,” she said.

Taro hesitated, for she had already given him so much.

But Otohime insisted that he take it.

“This is the tamate-bako, a very precious box. Whatever happens, you must never open it. I warn you that something terrible will happen if you break this promise. Please remember my words.”

Taro promised faithfully that he would never open it.

After saying goodbye to his beloved wife, he went down to the shore, where a large tortoise was waiting.

He climbed onto its back, and the creature carried him across the sea towards his homeland.

As they travelled, Taro looked back repeatedly, waving until Otohime and the magnificent palace disappeared from sight.

At last, the tortoise brought him to the familiar bay where his journey had begun.

Taro stepped onto the shore, carrying the precious box.

The tortoise then returned to the Sea King’s kingdom.

Three Hundred Years Have Passed

At first, everything seemed familiar.

The shoreline was unchanged, and the distant hills appeared just as he remembered them.

But something was wrong.

The people walking along the shore looked unfamiliar. Their clothing and faces were different from those of the villagers he remembered.

Taro hurried towards his old home, hoping to find his parents waiting for him.

When he reached the house, he called out:

“Father! Mother! I have returned!”

But instead of his parents, a strange man appeared at the doorway.

Taro was confused.

Perhaps his family had moved away while he was absent.

He approached the stranger and explained:

“Excuse me, but I used to live here. My name is Urashima Taro. Could you tell me where my parents have gone?”

The man stared at him in disbelief.

“Did you say Urashima Taro?”

“Yes,” replied the fisherman. “That is my name.”

The stranger shook his head.

“You cannot be serious. There was once a fisherman called Urashima Taro who lived in this village, but that was three hundred years ago!”

Taro was horrified.

“Three hundred years? That cannot be true! I have only been away for a few days.”

But the stranger explained that the story of Urashima Taro had been preserved in the village chronicles. According to the records, the fisherman had disappeared centuries earlier.

Perhaps, the man suggested, Taro was the spirit of the long-dead fisherman returning to visit his former home.

Taro protested that he was no ghost. He was alive and standing before him.

Yet the stranger remained unconvinced.

As Taro looked around, the terrible truth slowly began to dawn on him.

The village had changed because centuries had passed.

His parents were long gone. His friends, neighbours, and everyone he had ever known had disappeared from the world.

What had seemed like only a few days in the Sea King’s kingdom had been three hundred years in the human world.

Overwhelmed with sorrow, Taro realised that he had lost the home he had hoped to return to.

The Forbidden Box

With nowhere familiar left to go, Taro wandered back towards the shore.

He still carried the beautiful lacquered box Otohime had given him.

As he walked, he remembered her warning.

She had told him never to open it, promising that something terrible would happen if he did.

But now he was desperate.

His parents were gone. His village had changed beyond recognition, and he had no idea how to return to the Sea King’s palace.

Perhaps, he thought, the precious box contained something that could help him find his way back to Otohime.

Perhaps it held a secret that would restore everything he had lost.

Unable to resist his curiosity and sorrow, Taro decided to open it.

Slowly, he untied the red silk cord and lifted the lid.

To his surprise, there were no jewels or treasures inside.

Instead, three delicate wisps of purple mist rose from the box.

The strange cloud floated around his face for a brief moment before drifting away across the sea.

Then something extraordinary happened.

Taro, who had returned looking like a healthy young man of twenty-four, began to age rapidly.

His strong back bent, his dark hair turned white, and his youthful face became lined with the passing years.

In moments, the young fisherman had become an old man.

At last, he collapsed upon the shore and died.

The secret of the tamate-bako had been revealed. It had contained the years that had been held back while Taro lived in the Sea King’s timeless kingdom.

By opening it, he had lost the youth that had accompanied him on his extraordinary journey.

Poor Urashima Taro!

His kindness had once saved the life of a princess and brought him to a wonderful world beneath the sea. But his return to the human world had revealed a passage of time he could never have imagined, and his final act brought his extraordinary adventure to a tragic close.

And so the tale of the fisherman who visited the Dragon King’s palace became a story remembered through generations.

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Moral

The traditional lesson emphasised in Yei Theodora Ozaki’s version is the importance of respecting the warnings of those who possess greater knowledge and experience.

Urashima Taro receives an extraordinary gift but fails to keep his promise never to open the tamate-bako. His curiosity and despair lead him to disregard Otohime’s instructions, with tragic consequences.