Yaoya Oshichi is a very interesting story from Japan that happened a very long time ago. It's about a young girl called Oshichi who lived in a place called Edo, which is now called Tokyo.
Oshichi was a very curious girl who loved to explore the city and talk to people. She was also very brave, which means she wasn't afraid of anything! One day, Oshichi was walking through the city when she saw a big, beautiful temple. She was so amazed by how pretty it was that she decided to sneak inside to have a look.
Now, sneaking into a temple was not allowed, and it was also very dangerous because it was against the law. But Oshichi didn't think twice about it! She went inside and started exploring. While she was inside, she met a very handsome young man who was a monk at the temple. They talked a lot and became friends. They even exchanged their names - Oshichi told the boy her name, and he told her his name was Kichisaburo.
Oshichi eventually had to leave the temple, but she was sad to go. She liked the boy so much that she decided she wanted to see him again. So, she came up with a plan. She decided to start a fire near the temple and hoped that Kichisaburo would come to help put the fire out.
Now, starting a fire was a very bad thing to do, and it was against the law. When the fire started, it quickly got out of control, and many buildings were destroyed. Oshichi was caught and brought before the authorities. She was very scared, but she also knew that she had to be brave and tell the truth. She told them that she started the fire because she wanted to see Kichisaburo again.
The officials were very angry, and they decided to punish Oshichi. They told her that she had to die by burning at the stake. This was a very harsh punishment, and it made Oshichi very sad. But she was also very brave, and she accepted her fate.
On the day of her execution, Oshichi was tied to the stake and the fire was lit. As the flames grew higher and higher, Oshichi thought about Kichisaburo and how much she wanted to see him again. Suddenly, Kichisaburo appeared out of nowhere! He had come to save her!
Kichisaburo had heard about what had happened to Oshichi, and he couldn't bear the thought of her dying. He knew that he had to do something, so he disguised himself as a woodcutter and started chopping down the tree that Oshichi was tied to. When the tree fell, Kichisaburo grabbed Oshichi and ran away with her.
Oshichi and Kichisaburo were able to escape from the city thanks to the help of some friends, and they lived happily ever after. The story of Yaoya Oshichi is very popular in Japan, and people still tell it today to show that love can conquer all!