Japanese folklore is often divided into several categories : `` mukashibanashi , '' tales of long-ago ; `` namidabanashi '' , sad stories ; `` obakebanashi '' , ghost stories ; `` ongaeshibanashi '' , stories of kindness ; `` tonchibanashi '' , witty stories ; `` waraibanashi '' , funny stories ; and `` yokubaribanashi '' , stories of greed . Japanese folklore is often divided into several categories : mukashibanashi , tales of long ago ; namidabanashi , sad stories ; obakebanashi , ghost stories ; ongaeshibanashi , stories of repaying kindness ; tonchibanashi , witty stories ; waraibanashi , funny stories ; and yokubaribanashi , stories of greed .