How did the dead in Japanese folklore get lots of money

I read Tales of Supernatural which translated and compiled Japanese tales and a high standing woman and her servant pass away and they go to her brief lover and he gets a priest to give him protection with charms. His servant is bribed by the dead woman with 50 ryo (an enormous sum of money) to get rid of the charms when the previous night they had no money. The story gives zero explanation.

'The Bank of Yōkai, Yūrei and Bakemono' - branches all over Japan's spiritual realm.

cloa513 said:

I read Tales of Supernatural which translated and compiled Japanese tales and a high standing woman and her servant pass away and they go to her brief lover and he gets a priest to give him protection with charms. His servant is bribed by the dead woman with 50 ryo (an enormous sum of money) to get rid of the charms when the previous night they had no money. The story gives zero explanation.

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The money was an apparition and wasn't real. It probably turned into pebbles afterwards. So not only did the servant betray his boss, he didn't profit either.

I was being flippant. The 'coherence of narrative' within folklore, its consistency and of course believability, does not often bear close scrutiny. They're entertaining little stories and in this case, designed to chill the bones on hot summer evenings. Don't take them too seriously.

The tale explains lots of things such as why she is pursuing him- past lives. She believes she is alive and tells him where is entombed (acting it is a home). I am pretty sure no mention of money disappearing.

s this the story of "牡丹燈籠 (Botan Dōrō)"?
The Peony Lantern – Summary
■ Main Characters
Shinzaburō – A young samurai (ronin)

Otsuyu – A beautiful young woman, daughter of a samurai

O-Yone – Her loyal nursemaid

Banzō and O-Mine – A poor couple who get involved in the tragedy

■ Story Outline
1. A Fateful Love
Shinzaburō, a lonely young samurai, meets a beautiful woman named Otsuyu and they fall deeply in love. Their relationship is short-lived, however, as Otsuyu dies suddenly—some versions say from illness, others say from heartbreak due to separation.

2. A Haunting Reunion
After her death, Otsuyu and her nursemaid O-Yone begin visiting Shinzaburō every night, carrying a peony-shaped lantern. Unaware that they are spirits, Shinzaburō happily welcomes Otsuyu back into his arms.

3. The Terrifying Truth
A neighbor becomes suspicious and asks a Buddhist priest to investigate. The priest reveals that Otsuyu and O-Yone are in fact ghosts, and Shinzaburō has been sleeping beside a rotting corpse. Shocked and terrified, he places protective Buddhist charms (ofuda) around his house to ward off the spirits.

4. Betrayal and Death
The greedy couple Banzō and O-Mine, hoping for a reward or money, remove the protective charms, allowing the ghosts to return. That night, Otsuyu's spirit comes again, and Shinzaburō is lured to his death—either dying in her embrace or being drained of life.

5. Karma and Consequence
Later, Banzō and O-Mine also suffer tragic fates, as their betrayal brings about their doom. The story ends as a dark reflection on obsessive love, deception, and karmic retribution.

■ Themes & Symbolism
Love Beyond Death: Otsuyu's ghost continues to seek Shinzaburō even after death, showing deep emotional attachment.

The Peony Lantern: Symbolizes both beauty and eerie mystery, as it leads the ghost to her lover.

Karma: Those who betray or act out of greed face harsh consequences.

In the 1968 film, the O-Yone tells a poor couple that money is buried beneath the grave two plots north of their new one, and asks them to dig it up and take it.
O-Yone asks them to make sure to remove the ofuda (paper talisman) after receiving the money.

Does anyone actually find these folk horror stories frightening or they merely an amusement, like those Victorian ghost stories?

Ukigumo said:

Does anyone actually find these folk horror stories frightening or they merely an amusement, like those Victorian ghost stories?

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I don't quite understand how a shiver of fear cools one down, but I do concede that summer is the most supernatural season since windows and doors are left open to catch any passing breeze, insects chirup and unseen animals howl and screech. The nights might be shorter, but they're more unnerving!

cloa513 said:

The tale explains lots of things such as why she is pursuing him- past lives. She believes she is alive and tells him where is entombed (acting it is a home). I am pretty sure no mention of money disappearing.

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Yes, that part is left unsaid. You have to read between the lines.

mdchachi said:

Yes, that part is left unsaid. You have to read between the lines.

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Later the servant was asked to pay for the tomb of his former master to be next to his former "lover" the dead woman so obviously the money was real.

cloa513 said:

Later the servant was asked to pay for the tomb of his former master to be next to his former "lover" the dead woman so obviously the money was real.

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Yes, since it's a true story, the vagueness of the financial transactions strongly suggest fraud. This is a heinous crime and I'd be surprised if the local bugyo wasn't called in to investigate.