-->

JAPANESE FOLKTALE SERIES
"KAGUYA-HIME"

Once upon a time, an old man was living on bamboo cutting. One day, he found a
bamboo the bottom of which was glistening. He cut the bamboo and found a beautiful little
girl in the hollow stem.
The girl grew up quickly and was named "Kaguya-Hime" (The Glistening Princess).
Her beauty was totally unparalleled.
Enchanted, five princes vied one another and tried to marry her. The princess, coming
from the moon, put difficult questions to them and said she would marry the one who
solved the questions. None of them could do so.
Kaguya-Hi me even turned down the. Emperor's proposal of marriage, the princess
returned to the moon on the night of August 15 although her house was surrounded by
soldiers.

— Text from Ministry of Posts and Communications

 

(A)
Date of issue:July 29, 1974
Denomination: 3 kinds of 20 yen
Design: (1) The discovery of Kaguya-Hime
in a shining bamboo
by the old bamboo cutter
(2) Kaguya- ime as a grown-up
beauty
(3) Her ascent to heaven with her
escorts from the moon 33.5mm x 25mm
Size of impression: 35.5mm x 25mm
Printing process:photogravure
Sheet composition: 20 (5x4) stamps
Designer: Koohei MORITA
(B) (C)

← Prev| TOC | Next →
•
HOME