Photo/Illutration A scene from an animated adaptation of “Umi ni Shizunda Oni” (An ogre sinking in the sea), a folktale from Naka-Tosa, Kochi Prefecture, which was created in fiscal 2023 (Provided by the Nippon Mukashibanashi Kyokai)

An association to preserve Japanese folktales is on a mission to scour the farthest corners of the country for unique local folktales about the sea and adapt them into short, animated films.

Nippon Mukashibanashi Kyokai (Japan folktale association) launched the Sea Folktale Town Project with the Nippon Foundation in 2018 with the goal of passing these stories down to future generations, and with them a love of the ocean and local culture.

So far, 67 short anime adaptations have been completed and 25 more are on the way this fiscal year.

The fantastic tales being animated in fiscal 2024 include “Moeteita Odaishi-san” (Burning Daishi) from Minami, Tokushima Prefecture; “Saru Taka Kassen Monogatari” (Monkey-hawk battle) from Sanuki, Kagawa Prefecture; “Kappa no Ongaeshi” (An aquatic imp returns a favor) from Seiyo, Ehime Prefecture; “Nagi no Ki ni Tasukerareta Ryoshi” (A fisherman saved by an Asian bayberry tree) from Aki, Kochi Prefecture; “Kani no Fundoshi” (A crab’s loincloth) from Tottori, Tottori Prefecture; “Ryujin to Ogon no Tachi” (A dragon deity and a long golden sword) from Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture; “Onatsu no Gando” (Onatsu’s cave) from Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture; and “Oyako Kujira no Benten Mairi” (A whale parent and child visit Benten) from Karatsu, Saga Prefecture.

Each story will be distilled into a five-and-a-half-minute anime directed by Shinnosuke Numata. The animators will study and re-create actual locations from each tale’s town of origin.

The films will be available on the project’s website at (https://uminominwa.jp).

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