Kids Web Japan

While dining endlessly on delicacies and drinking fine wine, he was entertained with gorgeous music and dancing beauties and fish. Urashima Taro was spellbound. Before he knew it, three whole years had passed.

Finally coming out of his spell, Urashima Taro said he wanted to return home. As a farewell gift, the Sea-Princess handed him a three-tiered tamatebako (jeweled hand-box), saying: "If you find yourself in trouble or at a loss, please open it up." With the box tightly secured under his arm, Urashima Taro once more climbed onto the turtle's back and set off for home.

Back in his village, Taro was puzzled to see that the rivers and mountains had changed their shapes beyond recognition and that many trees had withered. Approaching an old farmer, Taro asked him, "Do you happen to know where to find the house of Urashima Taro, a fisherman who used to live here?"

The old man replied, "When my grandfather was a young man, someone by that name was said to have traveled to the Dragon Palace. He was never heard of again." Taro felt lost and lonely. His mother had died and all that was left of his house was an overgrown patch of garden.