is a 258-episode long Japanese

anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...

television series that adapts various traditional stories from Japan. Each episode of this anime comprises three approximately seven-minute tales. Produced by the Tokyo-based animation company Tomason, it was aired by

TV Tokyo JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as and known colloquially as , is a television station headquartered in the Sumitomo Fudosan Roppongi Grand Tower in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, owned and operated by the subsidiary of listed certified b ...

from April 1, 2012 to March 26, 2017. The narration and all character voices are provided by veteran film actors

Akira Emoto is a Japanese actor. Career In 1999, he won the Japanese Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''Dr. Akagi''. He also won the award for best supporting actor at the 7th Hochi Film Award for ''Dotonbori River'' and '' Hearts and Flo ...

and Yoneko Matsukane. Voice actress and singer

Shoko Nakagawa is a Japanese media personality, actress, voice actress, illustrator, and singer. Also known by her nickname , she is best known as the presenter of ''Pokémon Sunday'', and as the performer of the opening theme from the anime ''Gurren Lagann'' ...

performed the initial opening and ending theme songs. Tomoyuki Okura, a member of the vocal group INSPi, wrote and composed the opening theme "''Hitori no Kimi ga Umareta to sa''" (You Were Born Alone), and the ending theme song "''Arukou''" (Let's Walk) with his fellow INSPi member Keisuke Yoshida. From episode 53 onwards, "Arukou" was replaced by "''Pyon Pyon Punyo Punyo no Uta''" (Song of Jump! Jump! Cheek! Cheek!) by Shindo Heart (lyrics) and Star Flower (song) from

Victor Entertainment , also known as in Japan, is a subsidiary of JVCKenwood that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It is known as JVC Entertainment in countries where Sony Music Ent ...

. From episode 208 onwards, "Hitori no Kimi ga Umareta to sa" was replaced by "''Furusato Hokkorimura''" by Hajime Yamanouchi (lyrics) and Kaori Mizumori (song). A second 50-episode long series, began airing from April 2, 2017 and it was concluded on March 25, 2018. Each episode of this anime comprises two approximately ten-minute tales instead. An English-subtitled version was simulcasted on the streaming service

Crunchyroll Crunchyroll is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Sony through a joint venture between Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex. The service primarily distributes films and tel ...

, which describes the main plot as following: "Like in any culture, Japanese kids grow up listening to the stories repeatedly told by their parents and grandparents. The boy born from a peach; the princess from the moon who is discovered inside a bamboo; the old man who can make a dead cherry tree blossom, etc. These short stories that teach kids to see both the dark and bright sides of life have passed traditional moral values from generation to generation."

''Hometown Rebuilding'': Folktales from Japan episode list

Many tales do have different versi

''Hometown Visiting'': Folktales from Japan episode list

Explanatory notes

References

External links

* *{{Anime News Network, anime, 14116 2012 anime television series debuts TV Tokyo original programming