Urashima Taro Coloring Pages

"Urashima Taro" is one of Japan's best-known old stories. It is a mysterious story about time and saying goodbye. A young man named Urashima Taro saves a turtle. The turtle takes him to the Dragon Palace. But when he opens the Tamatebako box, only Urashima Taro grows old instantly.

The Story's History and Theme

A story very similar to Urashima Taro was already written down in books from the Nara period. Because of this, it is thought to be one of the oldest stories in Japan.

• Theme and Lesson: The themes of this story are "the passage of time" and "the sadness of not being able to go back to your original world." The happy time at the Dragon Palace passes by in the blink of an eye. When he gets back to the land, hundreds of years have already passed. This shows us how fast time flows and the hard truth that we cannot bring back what we have lost.
• A Different World: The Dragon Palace is shown as a gorgeous world where time stands still, where the beautiful Princess Otohime lives. It shows a longing for a mystical world that is totally different from the world on land.

Synopsis

Long, long ago, there was a young man named Urashima Taro. One day, while walking on the beach, Urashima Taro found some children teasing a turtle. Urashima Taro saved the turtle and returned it to the sea.

A few days later, the turtle he saved came back to Urashima Taro and said, "I will take you to the Dragon Palace to thank you." Urashima Taro rode on the turtle's back. He was taken to the glittering palace beneath the sea, the Dragon Palace.

At the Dragon Palace, the beautiful Princess Otohime welcomed him. Urashima Taro enjoyed songs, dances, and grand feasts. A few days passed in the blink of an eye.

When Urashima Taro said, "I should go home soon," Princess Otohime was sad to say goodbye. She gave him the Tamatebako box after making him promise, "You must never open it."

When Urashima Taro returned to the land, he was shocked that his village had completely changed. When he went home, nobody knew Urashima Taro. He asked around and found out that hundreds of years ago, there was a man named Urashima Taro.

Feeling sad, Urashima Taro thought, "Just a little bit," and opened the Tamatebako box. Then, white smoke rose up, and in an instant, Urashima Taro turned into an old man with white hair. The Tamatebako box held all the time he had spent at the Dragon Palace.

For your coloring page, the trick is to use colors to show the difference between the two worlds—the land and Ryugu-jo Castle—and to show the thrill of the story!

How to Color: The Basics

• Urashima Taro:
  • Kimono: Color it with simple colors like white or light blue to show he is a humble young man. When he rides the turtle, color it so he looks like he has a strong determination.
  • Straw hat: Color it yellow or light brown to make him look like a traveler.
• Turtle:
  • Shell: Color it with dark green or brown, and give it a nice shiny look like a real sea creature.
  • Skin: Color it with light green or yellow-green to make it look like it lives underwater.
• Ocean:
  • Water's surface: Color this with bright blue or light blue. If you leave the parts where the light hits white, you can show how the waves move.
  • Under the sea: Use deep blue or emerald green. If you color the seaweed and fish with lots of colors, it will look magical as Urashima Taro heads to the Dragon Palace.

Colors for Special Items

• Ryugu-jo (Dragon Palace):
  • Buildings: If you paint the castle floating on the clouds with luxurious colors like red, white, and gold, it will look extra special and different from buildings on the ground. Using green or blue for the roof tiles makes it look just like a castle in a fairy tale.
• Tamatebako (Treasure Box):
  • Tamatebako (The Treasure Box): Use bright colors like gold or jewel tones to make it give off a mysterious glow, as if it is packed with secrets you must never open.
• The Sun and Clouds:
  • Sun: Use bright yellow or orange to show it shining with all its might.
  • Clouds: Color them white or light sky blue to show the difference between the real sky and the world of Ryugu-jo.

Hints for enjoying your coloring page!

• Express yourself freely!
  • It is also fun to imagine what is inside the treasure box and draw smoke with colors that make you think of the passage of time, like white, black, silver, and gold. Express yourself freely!