Once upon a time, in a peaceful Japanese village, an elderly couple lived quietly and humbly. One day, the old man ventured into a nearby bamboo forest to gather bamboo as he usually did. As he chopped down one particular stalk, it began to emit a strange glowing light. To his astonishment, when he cut it open, he discovered a tiny baby girl, no bigger than a thumb, resting gently inside the bamboo. The couple, overwhelmed with wonder and joy, took her in, named her Kaguya, and raised her lovingly as their own daughter.
As Kaguya grew, it became clear that she was no ordinary child. Her beauty was breathtaking, and soon her name and charm spread far beyond the village. Nobles and royals from distant lands began arriving at the couple’s home, hoping to win her heart. Eventually, seven noble suitors came forward, each pleading for her hand in marriage. However, Kaguya, with grace and wisdom, gave each of them an impossible challenge. She asked that they bring her a rare, magical treasure that could not be easily found. One by one, the suitors failed, revealing their dishonesty or cowardice, and none succeeded in winning her hand.The emperor himself, upon hearing of Kaguya’s beauty and gentle nature, became captivated. He sent messengers to invite her to the palace, but she declined. The emperor then attempted to visit her in secret, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. He finally managed to see her from a distance and was completely enchanted. He began writing her heartfelt letters, pouring out his longing, yet Kaguya, always kind but firm, continued to reject his proposals.
As the seasons passed, Kaguya’s joy began to fade. She spent more and more time gazing silently at the moon. One evening, with sadness in her voice, she revealed to her adoptive parents that she was not of this world. She came from the Moon, and the time was drawing near when celestial beings would return to take her home. The elderly couple, heartbroken, begged her to stay, but Kaguya knew her fate could not be changed.
When the full moon rose, a brilliant light descended from the sky. Divine messengers arrived to take Kaguya back. The emperor, unwilling to lose her, sent his soldiers to protect her, but the celestial beings moved through the world untouched by human force, and the soldiers were powerless. With tears in her eyes, Kaguya said a sorrowful goodbye to the couple who had loved her like their own. Before she ascended, she left a small box for the emperor. Inside was an elixir of immortality, a gift he could take to live forever.
But immortality without love was meaningless. When the emperor learned that Kaguya had returned to the Moon, he felt a deep emptiness. He took the elixir to the highest mountain in Japan, Mount Fuji, and burned it on its peak. As the flames rose, smoke drifted into the sky, symbolizing his eternal sorrow. From that moment on, the mountain became known as Fujisan, the Immortal Mountain, where the emperor’s love and grief were said to linger in the mists above.