Mukashi Mukashi Meaning: How to Say “Once Upon a Time” in Japanese

Mukashi mukashi（むかしむかし／昔々） is the classic Japanese expression used to begin a folktale. It is usually translated as “once upon a time” or “long, long ago.”

A familiar Japanese story may begin:

むかしむかし、あるところに、おじいさんとおばあさんがいました。
Mukashi mukashi, aru tokoro ni, ojiisan to obaasan ga imashita.
Once upon a time, in a certain place, there lived an old man and an old woman.

The translation is simple, but learners often have deeper questions. What does mukashi mean by itself? Why is it repeated? Should it be written in kanji or hiragana? Can you say mukashi mukashi when talking about your childhood? What is the difference between mukashi, izen, and mae?

This article explains the meaning, pronunciation, writing, grammar, usage, related expressions, and storytelling tone of mukashi mukashi.

What Does Mukashi Mukashi Mean?

昔々（むかしむかし, mukashi mukashi） means:

• once upon a time
• long, long ago
• in ancient times
• a very long time ago, in a storytelling sense

The individual word 昔（むかし, mukashi） means “the past,” “old times,” “long ago,” or “formerly.” Repeating it makes the time feel more distant and creates a traditional narrative rhythm.

The closest English equivalent depends on context. At the opening of a folktale, “once upon a time” is usually the most natural translation. When explaining the phrase literally, “long, long ago” shows why the Japanese word appears twice.

How to Write Mukashi Mukashi in Japanese

Several spellings are possible:

1. 昔々 — kanji with the repetition mark

昔々 is a compact standard spelling. The symbol 々 is called an iteration or repetition mark. It tells the reader to repeat the previous kanji.

昔々 = 昔 + 昔

The mark does not have its own independent pronunciation. Here it repeats 昔, so the whole expression is read mukashi mukashi.

2. 昔むかし — mixed kanji and hiragana

昔むかし is visually soft and common in children’s materials, titles, and creative writing. Writing the second half in hiragana makes the expression easier for young readers and gives it a warm storytelling appearance.

3. むかしむかし — all hiragana

むかしむかし is also completely natural, especially in picture books, beginner learning materials, and text intended for children.

4. むかし、むかし — with a comma

A storyteller may write むかし、むかし to represent a spoken pause: “Long ago… very long ago…” The comma is a stylistic choice rather than a change in meaning.

How to Pronounce Mukashi Mukashi

むかしむかし — mukashi mukashi
Mora rhythm: mu-ka-shi | mu-ka-shi

The shi sounds like “she.” Each mukashi has three morae: mu, ka, and shi. English speakers should avoid placing extremely heavy stress on ka. Japanese rhythm is more even than English word stress.

In storytelling, the narrator may deliberately slow down or pause:

Mukashi… mukashi… aru tokoro ni…
Long, long ago, in a certain place…

This stretched performance is not the only correct pronunciation. It is a dramatic storytelling style.

Why Is Mukashi Repeated?

Repeating a word can create emphasis, rhythm, or a conventional formula. In mukashi mukashi, repetition performs three jobs.

1. It pushes the story further into the past

One mukashi can refer to former times or the speaker’s personal past. Two create the feeling of a past beyond ordinary memory.

2. It signals a folktale

The phrase is recognizable before the plot begins. Listeners expect talking animals, old couples, oni, princesses, or miraculous events.

3. It creates a spoken rhythm

Folktales were told aloud. The repeated three-mora pattern gives the narrator time to gather attention and helps the audience settle into the story.

The Complete Japanese “Once Upon a Time” Formula

The most famous pattern is:

むかしむかし、あるところに、〜がいました。
Mukashi mukashi, aru tokoro ni, ~ ga imashita.
Once upon a time, in a certain place, there was/were ~.

Let us break it down.

A standard sentence is:

むかしむかし、あるところに、おじいさんとおばあさんがいました。
Once upon a time, in a certain place, there lived an old man and an old woman.

This opening appears in many retellings even when the original literary or regional version begins differently.

What Does Aru Tokoro Ni Mean?

あるところに（aru tokoro ni） means “in a certain place” or “somewhere.” It avoids naming an exact village, province, or historical date.

The word ある appears before a noun to mean “a certain” or “some.” This is different from the verb ある, “to exist,” although they are historically and grammatically related in the broader language.

Compare:

ある村に — in a certain village

ある山に — on a certain mountain

ある国に — in a certain country

あるところに — in a certain place

By leaving the place unspecified, the storyteller creates a universal setting. The story happened nowhere in particular, so it can belong to every community.

Why Does the Sentence Use Imashita?

いました（imashita） is the polite past form of いる（iru）, to exist or be present, used for people and animals.

In English, we normally translate it as “there was,” “there were,” or “there lived.”

おじいさんがいました。
There was an old man. / An old man lived there.

For objects and many plants, Japanese normally uses ありました（arimashita） instead:

大きなお城がありました。
There was a large castle.

This contrast makes folktale openings useful for practicing the basic distinction between いる and ある.

Can You Use Mukashi Mukashi in Everyday Conversation?

Yes, but usually with a playful, dramatic, or nostalgic tone. It is not the neutral way to say “a long time ago” in an ordinary factual sentence.

Natural storytelling use

むかしむかし、山の奥に小さな村がありました。
Once upon a time, deep in the mountains, there was a small village.

Playful personal use

むかしむかし、私がまだ学生だったころの話です。
Once upon a time—back when I was still a student—this happened.

This can sound humorous because the speaker treats their own past like an ancient legend.

Overdramatic response

それはむかしむかしの話だよ。
That was a very, very long time ago.

Depending on tone, the speaker may be joking that something from only ten or twenty years ago feels ancient.

Neutral factual alternative

昔、この近くに映画館がありました。
There used to be a movie theater near here.

In a normal memory or historical statement, a single mukashi is usually more natural.

Mukashi vs Mukashi Mukashi

昔、日本に住んでいました。
I used to live in Japan a long time ago.

昔々、日本のある村に鬼が住んでいました。
Once upon a time, an oni lived in a certain Japanese village.

The second sentence sounds like the opening of a traditional tale. Using mukashi mukashi for a résumé, historical report, or ordinary schedule would sound intentionally theatrical.

Mukashi vs Izen

以前（いぜん, izen） means “before,” “previously,” or “formerly.” It is more neutral and formal than mukashi.

以前、この会社で働いていました。
I previously worked for this company.

昔、この町で働いていました。
I used to work in this town a long time ago.

Izen focuses on a time before the present or before another reference point. Mukashi adds emotional or temporal distance and often feels nostalgic.

Mukashi vs Mae

前（まえ, mae） means “before” or “ago” and often combines with an amount of time.

三年前に日本へ行きました。
I went to Japan three years ago.

ずっと前に日本へ行きました。
I went to Japan a long time ago.

Mae can locate an event more directly on a timeline. Mukashi treats the past as a broad period.

Mukashi vs Omukashi

大昔（おおむかし, omukashi） means “ancient times,” “the distant past,” or “a very long time ago.” The first kanji 大 means big or great.

大昔、このあたりは海でした。
In ancient times, this area was under the sea.

Omukashi strongly emphasizes distance in time but does not automatically sound like the opening formula of a folktale. It can be used in explanations about geology, prehistory, or ancient life.

Mukashi wa: “In the Old Days”

昔は（むかしは, mukashi wa） means “in the past” or “in the old days,” usually creating a contrast with the present.

昔は、この川で泳げました。
In the old days, we could swim in this river.

昔は手紙を書きましたが、今はメッセージを送ります。
People used to write letters, but now they send messages.

The particle は sets “the past” as the topic and often implies “unlike now.”

Ima wa Mukashi: A Classical Story Opening

今は昔（いまはむかし, ima wa mukashi） is a famous classical narrative phrase. It can be translated as “Now it is long ago” or more naturally, “Long ago…”

The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter begins with:

今は昔、竹取の翁といふものありけり。
Long ago, there was a man known as the old bamboo cutter.

The phrase also appears in classical setsuwa literature. It sounds literary and archaic in modern conversation. Do not use it as a neutral substitute for “previously.”

How Japanese Folktales End: Medetashi Medetashi

The matching happy-ending formula is:

めでたし、めでたし。
Medetashi, medetashi.
And they lived happily ever after. / A happy ending.

めでたい（medetai） means auspicious, happy, or worthy of celebration. Medetashi is an older form. Like mukashi mukashi, the word is repeated for rhythm and conventional effect.

Not every Japanese folktale ends happily enough to use this phrase. Urashima Taro becomes old, Princess Kaguya leaves her family, and The Grateful Crane flies away. A narrator may still close a softened children’s version neatly, but the emotional result is not always equivalent to a Western “happily ever after.”

Common Folktale Opening Variations

Mukashi aru tokoro ni

昔、あるところに、貧しい夫婦が住んでいました。
Long ago, in a certain place, there lived a poor married couple.

One mukashi is enough. The sentence still sounds like a folktale because of aru tokoro ni and the character introduction.

Mukashi mukashi aru mura ni

むかしむかし、ある村に、正直なおじいさんがいました。
Once upon a time, in a certain village, there lived an honest old man.

Tooi mukashi

遠い昔、人と動物は話すことができました。
In the distant past, humans and animals could speak to each other.

遠い昔（とおいむかし, toi mukashi） literally means “the distant past” and creates a poetic tone.

Zutto mukashi

ずっと昔、この山には天狗が住んでいました。
A very long time ago, tengu lived on this mountain.

ずっと intensifies the distance: far back in time.

Example Sentences with Mukashi

昔の写真を見つけました。
I found an old photograph.

昔はよくこの公園で遊びました。
I often played in this park in the old days.

それはもう昔のことです。
That is already a thing of the past.

彼とは昔からの友達です。
He and I have been friends for a long time.

昔ながらの作り方を守っています。
They preserve the traditional way of making it.

These examples show that mukashi is not limited to fairy tales. It can describe memories, old methods, former situations, and long relationships.

Related Expressions with Mukashi

Mukashi Mukashi in Anime and Manga

Anime, manga, and games use mukashi mukashi in several ways.

A sincere folktale opening

A narrator introduces a legend, ancient kingdom, heroic ancestor, or supernatural origin.

A parody

A character begins dramatically with mukashi mukashi, only to describe something that happened last week. The mismatch creates humor.

A story within a story

An elder, teacher, book, scroll, or artificial intelligence recounts the background of the fictional world.

An unreliable legend

The phrase can signal that the audience is hearing a traditional version, not necessarily objective history. Later episodes may reveal that the “hero” and “monster” roles were reversed.

Because the expression is instantly recognizable, creators can establish a fairy-tale tone with only six morae repeated twice.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using it for any past event

むかしむかし、昨日スーパーに行きました。 sounds deliberately absurd: “Once upon a time, yesterday I went to the supermarket.” Use 昨日 by itself for a neutral sentence.

Mistake 2: Translating each mukashi separately in every context

At the beginning of a tale, do not write “past, past.” Translate the formula naturally as “once upon a time” or “long, long ago.”

Mistake 3: Assuming 々 has a pronunciation

The symbol repeats the previous kanji. 昔々 is read mukashi mukashi, but 々 itself is not read as a standalone word.

Mistake 4: Using imashita for an object

People and animals usually use いました. Objects use ありました.

お姫様がいました。 — There was a princess.

お城がありました。 — There was a castle.

Mistake 5: Treating every story as ancient history

Mukashi mukashi creates narrative distance. It does not provide a date or prove that an event historically occurred.

Build Your Own Japanese Folktale Opening

Use this template:

むかしむかし、ある＿＿に、＿＿がいました。
Once upon a time, in a certain ___, there was/were ___.

Examples:

むかしむかし、ある山に、心のやさしい鬼がいました。
Once upon a time, on a certain mountain, there lived a kind-hearted oni.

むかしむかし、ある国に、月を見るのが好きなお姫様がいました。
Once upon a time, in a certain country, there lived a princess who loved looking at the Moon.

むかしむかし、海の近くに、若い漁師が住んでいました。
Once upon a time, near the sea, there lived a young fisherman.

You can continue with useful narrative connectors:

• ある日（あるひ） — one day
• すると — then; thereupon
• ところが — however
• そこで — so; thereupon
• しばらくして — after a while
• 最後に（さいごに） — finally

The Kanji 昔 and Its Core Image

昔 refers to a time separated from the present. Depending on the sentence, English may translate it as long ago, formerly, the old days, or the past.

The core idea is not a mathematically fixed number of years. Something can feel mukashi because it belongs to a previous stage of life or a vanished way of living.

子どものころは、昔のことのように感じます。
My childhood feels like a long time ago.

スマートフォンがなかった時代は、もう昔ですね。
The time before smartphones already feels like the old days, doesn’t it?

For that reason, the word can carry nostalgia. It may suggest not only chronological distance but an emotional contrast between “then” and “now.” In mukashi mukashi, that flexible sense of distance expands into a timeless story world.

“Once” Is Not Always Mukashi

English learners sometimes see “once upon a time” and assume that mukashi means every type of English once. It does not.

Once = one time

一度、京都へ行ったことがあります。
Ichido, Kyoto e itta koto ga arimasu.
I have been to Kyoto once.

Here, “once” means one occasion, so Japanese uses 一度（いちど, ichido） or 一回（いっかい, ikkai）.

Once = formerly

ここにはかつて大きな城がありました。
There was once a large castle here.

かつて (katsute) is a literary or formal word meaning “once” or “formerly.” Mukashi could also work if the speaker wants a broader old-times feeling.

Once upon a time = folktale formula

むかしむかし、ある国に王様がいました。
Once upon a time, there was a king in a certain country.

The English spelling is the same, but Japanese chooses a different expression according to function.

Different Ways to Say “There Lived…”

Folktale translations often use the elegant English phrase “there lived,” but Japanese has several possible endings.

〜がいました

This simply introduces an animate character.

ある村に、おばあさんがいました。
There was an old woman in a certain village.

〜が住んでいました

住む（すむ, sumu） means to live or reside. This emphasizes the character’s home.

山のふもとに、木こりが住んでいました。
A woodcutter lived at the foot of a mountain.

〜がおりました

おる can be a humble form of iru in modern polite language, but it also appears in traditional-sounding narration and regional storytelling. A line such as おじいさんがおりました may feel more old-fashioned than standard imashita.

〜が暮らしていました

暮らす（くらす, kurasu） means to live one’s life. It allows more description of circumstances.

貧しい夫婦が仲よく暮らしていました。
A poor married couple lived happily together.

How Tone Changes the Translation

The same opening can be translated differently depending on the intended audience.

Traditional children’s style

Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman.

Simple beginner English

A long time ago, an old man and an old woman lived in a certain place.

Literary style

Long, long ago, in a place whose name has been forgotten, there lived an elderly couple.

Comic style

Once upon a time—well, actually about five years ago—there was a very lazy student.

None of these is automatically the one correct translation. A translator should preserve the function: establishing distance, attracting attention, and signaling the type of story.

When Mukashi Sounds Nostalgic Rather Than Ancient

In everyday Japanese, mukashi often describes the speaker’s own past. Context prevents listeners from imagining an ancient folktale.

昔、母がよくこの歌を歌ってくれました。
My mother used to sing this song to me.

昔のゲームを久しぶりにやりました。
I played an old game again for the first time in ages.

この匂いをかぐと、昔を思い出します。
This smell reminds me of the old days.

Notice the emotional vocabulary that often appears nearby: 懐かしい（なつかしい, nostalgic）, 思い出す（おもいだす, remember）, and ころ（koro, the time when）.

Natural Mini-Dialogues

Talking about childhood

A: 昔、どんな子どもでしたか。
What were you like as a child?

B: 昔は、とても静かな子でした。
I was a very quiet child back then.

Jokingly starting a personal story

A: その写真、若いね！
You look so young in that photo!

B: むかしむかしの写真だからね。
Well, it’s a photo from long, long ago.

Beginning a children’s tale

A: お話して！
Tell me a story!

B: いいよ。むかしむかし、ある森に小さな狐がいました。
All right. Once upon a time, there was a little fox in a certain forest.

Practice: Choose the Best Expression

1. “I worked there previously.”
Best neutral choice: 以前、そこで働いていました。

2. “Once upon a time, there was a dragon.”
Best story choice: むかしむかし、竜がいました。

3. “I visited once.”
Best frequency choice: 一度、行ったことがあります。

4. “In ancient times, this land was under the sea.”
Best distant-past choice: 大昔、この土地は海の底でした。

5. “In the old days, trains were slower.”
Best contrast choice: 昔は、電車がもっと遅かったです。

These examples show why memorizing one English translation is not enough. Mukashi mukashi belongs to a particular narrative job.

Write a Short Folktale in Japanese

Here is a beginner-friendly model:

むかしむかし、ある村に、やさしい女の子がいました。ある日、女の子はけがをした鳥を見つけました。女の子は鳥を家へ連れて帰り、毎日世話をしました。しばらくすると、鳥は元気になって、空へ飛んでいきました。次の朝、家の前にきれいな種が置いてありました。その種を植えると、金色の花が咲きました。女の子と家族は幸せに暮らしました。めでたし、めでたし。

Once upon a time, there was a kind girl in a certain village. One day, she found an injured bird. She took it home and cared for it every day. After a while, the bird recovered and flew away. The next morning, beautiful seeds had been left in front of the house. When she planted them, golden flowers bloomed. The girl and her family lived happily. A happy ending.

The grammar is simple, but the opening and closing make the paragraph immediately feel like a Japanese folktale.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does mukashi mukashi literally mean “once upon a time”?

Literally, it repeats mukashi, meaning “long ago” or “old times.” Functionally, “once upon a time” is the most natural translation at the beginning of a folktale.

Why is mukashi said twice?

The repetition emphasizes temporal distance, creates a storytelling rhythm, and signals that a traditional tale is beginning.

Should I write 昔々 or むかしむかし?

Both are correct. 昔々 is compact, while むかしむかし is softer and easier for children or beginners. 昔むかし is also common.

Can mukashi mean “used to”?

It can help create that meaning, especially with 昔は: Mukashi wa koko ni mise ga arimashita, “There used to be a shop here.” The grammar of the full sentence, not mukashi alone, expresses the former situation.

What is “happily ever after” in Japanese?

The traditional closing is めでたし、めでたし (medetashi, medetashi). It means that the ending is happy or auspicious, although it is not a word-for-word translation of the English sentence.

What is the difference between mukashi-banashi and otogi-banashi?

Mukashi-banashi means a traditional tale of long ago or folktale. Otogi-banashi can mean fairy tale or nursery tale and may also describe an unrealistic, dreamlike story.

Is mukashi mukashi formal Japanese?

It is conventional rather than formal. It belongs to storytelling and can be used by children or adults. In business writing or a neutral historical explanation, use a more precise time expression.

What Does Mukashi-banashi Mean?

昔話（むかしばなし, mukashi-banashi） combines mukashi, old times, with hanashi, story or talk. The sound changes from hanashi to banashi because of a common Japanese compound process called rendaku, or sequential voicing.

The word usually means a traditional tale, folktale, or “story from long ago.” It can refer to a specific tale or the genre as a whole.

日本の昔話を読んでいます。
Nihon no mukashi-banashi o yonde imasu.
I am reading Japanese folktales.

これは有名な昔話です。
Kore wa yumei na mukashi-banashi desu.
This is a famous folktale.

Do not confuse 昔話 with the ordinary phrase 昔の話. The compound mukashi-banashi often means a traditional folktale. Mukashi no hanashi can simply mean “a story about the past” or “something that happened long ago.”

桃太郎は昔話です。
Momotaro is a folktale.

それは父が学生だったころの昔の話です。
That is an old story from when my father was a student.

Mukashi Mukashi Meaning: Summary

Related Articles

• 25 Famous Japanese Folktales
• Momotaro Story in English
• Urashima Taro Story, Meaning, and Moral
• The Original Tale of Princess Kaguya

References and Further Reading

• The Japan Foundation, Sydney: Japanese Folktales Cultural Note
• The Japan Foundation: Folktales of Japan
• Japan Search: Taketori Monogatari