There is also the story of 'The Crane Wife'. A poor man once saved a crane. Later, a beautiful woman came to his house and became his wife. She would weave beautiful cloth to sell, but she had a condition that he must not watch her while she weaved. One day, out of curiosity, he peeked and saw that she had turned back into a crane, plucking her own feathers to weave. She then left him as he had broken the promise.
You can start by learning some common Japanese phrases and expressions used for storytelling. Also, pay attention to the tone and rhythm of your speech.
One famous Japanese love story is 'The Tale of Genji'. It was written by Murasaki Shikibu in the 11th century. It follows the life and loves of Genji, a handsome and charming courtier. His relationships with various women, from passionate affairs to more tender and complex emotional bonds, are explored. It gives a great insight into the courtly love and social structures of Heian - period Japan.
One famous Japanese ghost story is about Okiku. Okiku was a maid who worked in a samurai's house. Her master had a set of ten precious plates. One day, one plate went missing. The master was furious and accused Okiku of stealing it. She swore she didn't. In retaliation, the cruel master threw her down a well. After that, every night, people could hear her counting the plates from the well, 'One, two, three... nine...'. Her ghost was said to be seeking justice for her wrongful death.
In a small town in Japan, there was a love story between a boy who loved painting and a girl who played the shamisen. They met by chance in a cherry blossom garden. The boy was inspired by the girl's beauty among the blossoms and started to paint her. As time passed, they fell in love. But the boy's family wanted him to go to the big city to pursue his art career. In the end, he chose to stay with the girl, because their love was more important than anything else.
There is a story about Okiku's well. Okiku was a maid who worked in a samurai's house. She was falsely accused of breaking one of the ten valuable plates. In anger, the master tortured her and threw her into a well. Ever since, people claim to hear her counting the plates from the well at night, going up to nine and then a long, eerie silence follows.