What Are the Rabbit and Monkey Doing in Choju-giga?

日本語版はこちら： 鳥獣戯画の兎と猿は何をしている？有名な水遊びの場面の3つの解釈

This is one of the most famous scenes in Choju-giga, the famous Japanese picture scroll often called the oldest manga in Japan. Many people have probably seen this scene of a rabbit and a monkey at least once.

Looking at the animals highlighted in the center-right of the image, what do you think they are doing?
We once asked this question as a quiz on our official Instagram account.

Three Possible Interpretations of This Scene

Because Choju-giga (formally Choju Jinbutsu Giga) contains no written dialogue, viewers are free to interpret the scenes in different ways.

Here are three common interpretations of the rabbit and monkey scene.

A. The rabbit and monkey are playing in the water

🐰 “Come this way!”
🐵 “Wait for me!”

In this interpretation, the animals appear to be enjoying themselves, splashing around playfully in the water.

B. The rabbit is rescuing the drowning monkey

🐵 “Help!”
🐰 “Hang on!”

Some viewers feel that the monkey looks as if it might be struggling in the water, while the rabbit reaches out to help.

C. The rabbit is chasing the monkey after a prank

🐰 “You did it again! Come back here!”
🐵 “Sorry! I didn’t mean it!”

Others imagine that the monkey has just played a trick and the rabbit is chasing after it in anger.

When we conducted a poll on Instagram Stories, about 60% of people chose option A: “They are playing.” However, there is no correct answer.

The Fun of Choju-giga

Choju-giga is a picture scroll without dialogue. Because there are no written explanations, every viewer can imagine a different story.
People who lived around 900 years ago may have enjoyed these scenes in the same way—looking at the animals and imagining what was happening.

That is part of the charm of Choju-giga: the same scene can create completely different stories depending on the viewer.

A Little Fun: A Lighthearted Personality Test

Just for fun:

If you chose A
👉 You might be the type who easily finds joy and fun in everyday things.

If you chose B
👉 You may have a strong desire to help others.

If you chose C
👉 You might be the type who carefully observes situations and stories.

Of course, this is not a real personality test—but it shows how differently people can interpret the same image.

Learn More About Choju-giga

Choju-giga is often called “the oldest manga in Japan.” If you would like to learn more about this fascinating picture scroll, please read our article: What Is Choju-giga? Japan’s Oldest Manga Explained (Famous Animal Scroll)

For those who would like to enjoy the artwork more closely, we also recommend the book “Choju-giga (Bilingual Edition)”, which presents the famous Scroll A from beginning to end with English translations. The book is popular among international readers who want to learn about Japanese culture while enjoying the playful world of Choju-giga.