This book is dedicated to readers
Created & published on StoryJumper™ ©2025 StoryJumper, Inc.
All rights reserved. Sources: storyjumper.com/attribution
Preview audio:
storyj.mp/asfzpgaz2yj
Chapter 1
2
Once upon a time in Edo (what the people called Tokyo long time ago in the Edo period), there was a girl named ‘Sakura’. Sakura means cherry blossom in Japanese, which represents the fragility and the beauty of life. Sakura’s parents gave this name to wish that her life is overwhelmingly beautiful even if it may be tragically short. Just like her name, she was very beautiful; she had white skin, red lips, long eyelashes, long legs, and a skinny figure. Everyone was jealous of her beauty so they tried to change themselves by making their eyes double eyelid, and by putting heavy makeup so that they may look like her. Still, Sakura was the most beautiful girl in town.
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However, because of the beauty of Sakura, Sakura’s stepsisters and her step mom did ‘Ijime’, which means she was getting bullied. It was when Sakura was 16 years old, her mother died because of the Minamata disease. Even though Sakura served Okayu, and tried to cure the disease, her mother got crazier as time passed and finally, she passed away. 2 years later, Ryoma, Sakura’s father remarried to a lady who has 3 kids ( 1 boy and 2 girls). Her step brother, Hikomaro was very friendly to her but her step sisters were jealous of Sakura because he was decorous to her. Therefore, she had a horrible time with her stepsisters and her stepmother.
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One day Ryouma and Hikomaro had to go to the ichiba, where they trade and sell fish, seaweed and more to receive yens and rice. While they were gone her stepmom and her stepsisters bullied her even though Sakura worked hard to sew the kimonos. Even a day felt like forever. Sakura sobbed uncontrollably, “I want to be treated nicely, too.”
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All of a sudden, ‘Kyuubi’ came to Sakura. It is a fox that can control fire. People believed that it was god. “What is wrong?” the Kyuubi asked. Sakura said in a clear but low voice, “I want to receive love from others”. When he heard what happened to her and her stepsisters, Kyuubi gave her a pink kimono, with a flower pattern. Sakura liked the kimono ( Kimono is a type of traditional clothes) so she immediately wore the silky kimono.
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However, as she was looking at herself in the mirror.... Suddenly, from the mirror, fire and flame blasted. "What?" Before Sakura got what was happening, she had fainted with the bright light.When Sakura woke up, she saw a Macaque, staring at her. Its face and butt were red and their furs were gray-brown. “Hurry up! I can’t accept you being late; the concept of time is very strict here!” the macaque shouted, Sakura was angry of being treated rudely, but she tried to hide her facial expression, and followed the Macaque.
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Chapter 2
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Where the macaque arrived was the onsen, the Japanese hot spring. However, there was another person in the onsen, it was Amaterasu! Amaterasu is the sun goddess and the most important goddess of a Japanese religion called ‘Shinto’. Sakura’s parents and teachers were very strict in manners; they didn’t want her to act rudely, or be treated rudely. Therefore, since she met an elder, she bowed in 90 degrees rather than asking for a handshake. A bow can show others how much respect a person is showing to another, the rank or status in society each holds, or perhaps how sorry people are for some mistakes they have made.
Where the macaque arrived was the onsen, the Japanese hot spring. However, there was another person in the onsen, it was Amaterasu! Amaterasu is the sun goddess and the most important goddess of a Japanese religion called ‘Shinto’. Sakura’s parents and teachers were very strict in manners; they didn’t want her to act rudely, or be treated rudely. Therefore, since she met an elder, she bowed in 90 degrees rather than asking for a handshake. A bow can show others how much respect a person is showing to another, the rank or status in society each holds, or perhaps how sorry people are for some mistakes they have made.
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After Sakura rose to face the goddess, Amaterasu stared at her for a minute. Sakura blushed and smiled politely. The goddess was able to see the goodness in this beautiful girl, so she suggested immediately she and her son, Ama-no-Oshino, get married. Sakura agreed, and she was invited to Amaterasu’s house. The house was smaller than what Sakura expected from the place where a goddess lived. It was a simple, one-story house made of wood. Sensing Sakura’s surprisement, Amaterasu explained, “We used to have a larger place, but an earthquake destroyed it. Since there will be more earthquakes, I decided to have a small, simple house so that it can withstand the quakes.” Sakura nodded. “Besides, we have a palace in heaven that is much bigger and better,” the goddess added.
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When Sakura entered the room of the house, she put her shoes very neatly, turning her shoes towards the door. This was not only because it looked neat, but because it was polite to the owner of the house.
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Chapter 3
14
A few days later, the wedding started, and Sakura got to see her husband. She liked him. She put oshiroi to make her skin white and painted her teeth black with Ohaguro to emphasize the white skin. She also wore a very beautiful Shirofuku, which is a white kimono that the Japanese wear for the wedding. The beautiful music, which used Shamisen, filled the room. Amaterasu also prepared lots of food. There were lots of Washoku, and the it was organized in a beautiful way. Which is also called green tea, since it was sadou.
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Ama-no-Oshino wore a very handsome montsuki hakama, which is a wedding kimono for boys, that Sakura made while she was getting ‘Ijime’ by her stepsisters, and her stepmother.Sakura was delighted because she finally received true love from someone besides her real parents.
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Glossary
Sakura- 花言葉は、 純潔、 優美な女性、精神美、心の美しさ’
Minamata disease- A disease that was lethal during the Edo period (You can't cure it for it is a mental disease)
Okayu- Japanese porridge that is very lightly seasoned. (Ume or Tamago)
Kyuubi- It is a fox that controls fire. The citizens believed that it brings good luck.
Kimono- It’s a Japanese traditional clothing that you wear daily.
Onsen- Onsen is the Japanese hot spring
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Amaterasu- Amaterasu is the sun goddess and the main goddess of Shinto
Shinto- A Japanese religion that a lot of people belief.
Oshiroi- It's a Japanese traditional makeup like Foundation
Ohaguro- During the Edo period, woman used to paint their teeth black when they got married. Kabuki)
Shirofuku- A Japanese traditional clothes for women in the wedding
Washoku- A Japanese traditional food like (Sushi)
Montsuki Hakama- A Japanese traditional clothes for men's in the wedding
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READ
This book is dedicated to readers
Created & published on StoryJumper™ ©2025 StoryJumper, Inc.
All rights reserved. Sources: storyjumper.com/attribution
Preview audio:
storyj.mp/asfzpgaz2yj
Chapter 1
2
Once upon a time in Edo (what the people called Tokyo long time ago in the Edo period), there was a girl named ‘Sakura’. Sakura means cherry blossom in Japanese, which represents the fragility and the beauty of life. Sakura’s parents gave this name to wish that her life is overwhelmingly beautiful even if it may be tragically short. Just like her name, she was very beautiful; she had white skin, red lips, long eyelashes, long legs, and a skinny figure. Everyone was jealous of her beauty so they tried to change themselves by making their eyes double eyelid, and by putting heavy makeup so that they may look like her. Still, Sakura was the most beautiful girl in town.
3
4
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