Translation guide
The traditional beliefs, customs, stories, and sayings of a community, passed on by word of mouth. In Japanese, this can be expressed through several words that emphasize different aspects: academic study, oral tales, or local legends.
Referring to folklore as a subject of study or the collected traditions of a people.
The academic discipline of folklore studies. Use this when talking about the scholarly field.
彼は大学で民俗学を専攻している。
He is majoring in folklore at university.
A general term for traditions, customs, and stories passed down among common people. Often used in formal or written contexts.
この地域には豊かな民間伝承が残っている。
This region has a rich folklore that has been preserved.
Folk customs or folkways. Often used in compounds like 民俗資料 (folklore materials).
民俗資料館で昔の生活を学んだ。
I learned about old ways of life at the folklore museum.
Referring to the stories themselves, such as folktales, legends, and myths.
Traditional folktales, often beginning with 'mukashi mukashi' (once upon a time). The most common word for folk stories.
祖母はよく昔話を聞かせてくれた。
My grandmother often told me folktales.
Folk tales or legends of a particular region. Slightly more formal than 昔話.
Legend; a traditional story sometimes regarded as historical but not verifiable. Often associated with a specific place or person.
Myth; sacred stories about gods and the creation of the world. More specific than general folklore.
Referring to the unwritten traditional practices, sayings, or superstitious beliefs of a community.
Oral tradition; a saying or belief passed down through generations. Often used for proverbs, superstitions, or local wisdom.
この地方には、地震の前触れに関する言い伝えがある。
In this region, there is a folklore about omens before earthquakes.
Superstition; often used for irrational beliefs, but can overlap with folklore when referring to traditional supernatural beliefs.
Customs or manners; traditional practices of a community. Broader than just stories, includes rituals and habits.
昔話 (mukashibanashi) are typical folktales like 'Momotaro', often with a set opening phrase. 民話 (minwa) is a broader term for folk stories of a region, including legends. 伝説 (densetsu) specifically refers to legends tied to a historical place or person, often with a kernel of truth.
The loanword フォークロア (fōkuroa) exists but is rarely used in natural Japanese. It may be understood in academic or music contexts, but for general use, stick to the native terms above.
Many old folktales have been passed down in this village.
その湖には竜の伝説がある。
There is a legend of a dragon in that lake.
Many gods appear in Japanese mythology.
夜に口笛を吹くと蛇が来るという迷信がある。
There is a superstition (folklore) that whistling at night attracts snakes.
その村には独特の結婚の風習が残っている。
Unique wedding folklore remains in that village.