Okiku (Bancho Sarayashiki)



Okiku was the name of a female servant who lost a precious dish, died a terrible death, and returned as a vengeful ghost.

Legend
Along with Oiwa and Otsuyu, Okiku's tale is one of the Three Ghost Stories of the Nihon San Dai Kaidan. His story has been told countless times in folk tales, puppet theater, kabuki, film, and manga. Although the general outline of its story remains the same, the names, locations, and surrounding details vary greatly from telling to telling. The most famous version of his story is called Banchō sarayashiki- "The plate mansion in Banchō". It occurs in Himeji, present-day Hyōgo Prefecture.

Long ago, there was a woman named Okiku who worked as a dishwasher maid at Himeji Castle. Ella okiku was very beautiful, and it wasn't long before she was caught in the eye of one of her master's retainers, a samurai named Aoyama. Aoyama tried many times to seduce Okiku, but each time he rejected her advances.

Eventually, Aoyama grew impatient with Okiku and decided to trick her into becoming her lover. In the castle there was a set of ten very expensive plates. Aoyama hid one of them and then called Okiku. She told him that one of her master's fine dishes was missing and demanded to know where she was. Okiku got scared. Losing one of her master's precious dishes was a crime punishable by death. She counted the dishes, over and over again. Okiku was distraught. Aoyama told Okiku that she would ignore her mistake and tell her master that it was not Okiku who lost the plate, but only if she became her lover. Although Okiku wanted to live, she once again refused to be with Aoyama. This time the samurai was furious. He ordered his servants to strike Okiku with a wooden sword. After her, he had her tied and suspended over the castle. He tortured Okiku by repeatedly putting her in the well, only to pull her out of the water and hit her right there. Aoyama demanded one last time that she become her lover. She rejected it. So Aoyama struck her violently with her sword and dropped her body into the well.

Not long after, Okiku's ghost was seen roaming the castle grounds. Night after night, she would get up from the well and enter her master's house, looking for the missing plate. She counted the dishes and, to reach nine, she let out a scream that could be heard throughout the castle. She tormented Aoyama like this, every night, robbing him of her rest. Those who heard part of Okiku's count became very ill. Those who were unlucky enough to hear her count to nine died shortly after.

Finally, the castle lord decided that something had to be done with Okiku's ghost. He called a priest and asked him to pray for her and calm her spirit. The priest waited in the garden all night chanting sutras. Once again, Okiku's ghost emerged from the well and she began to count the dishes. As soon as Okiku counted the ninth plate, and before she could scream, the priest screamed ten. Okiku's ghost seemed relieved that someone had found the lost plate. Since then, she never haunted the castle again.