Once, in a clear sunny day, as I approached a major bridge to cross it, I saw a couple halfway across coming towards me. Then suddenly, the man was blown off the bridge and the woman vanished. My thoughts raced, “Where’s the yokai? What’s the yokai? Should I still cross the bridge for work?” Being a workaholic, I turnaround and work from home instead. Tasking myself to find the mysterious yokai of the bridge.
Hashihime, meaning lady of the bridge, is one of the most bipolar yokai you are likely to encounter. She loves you for using her bridge but the moment you mention a better bridge, hell has no fury as her scorn. Unlike the bridge trolls of the West, Hashihime is usually seen as a ravishing lady to the men and a handsome dude to the women.
Forgotten Tale
An old tale tells of a now-forgotten trading village that was linked to the Tōkaidō road by a long and sturdy bridge. Through the years, the village had tolerated multiple small bandit raids and their vile atrocities. But an accidental death of a bandit has brought the leader to their door step. The bandit king vowed revenge led his rouge of bandits towards the village but stopped at the end of the bridge.
A woman was standing before the bandit king totally exposed with her wild hair flying in the non-existent winds. As he rose his sword to strike the naked woman, she burst into a flaming oni, burning the bandit king to crisp. The fiery oni, then, charged forward, setting the whole line of bandits and the bridge ablaze. The villagers were eternally grateful to the Hashihime but did not rebuild the bridge, in dread of her.
Hidden Shrine
In Kyoto, there is a shrine dedicated to Hashihime, the guardian deity of Uji Bridge. The original shrine was located in the west bank but was washed away by floods of 1870. Legend has it that a lady of the courts prayed to the Kami of Kifune to make her a living oni that has powers as great as her bitter jealousy. After 7 days of continual devotions at Kifune-jinja, her prayers were answered. She were told to perform a sacred ceremony in the Kawase River at Uji.
The noble lady returned to the capital city where she twisted her hair into five horns and painted herself bloody red. She then lit five torches, three on an iron trivet on her head and two clenched between her teeth. Once her preparations complete, she ran down the street to Kawase River paralyzing many onlookers and scaring others to death.
Oni Transformation
She dived into the rivers and stayed submerged fueled with rage and jealousy. After 21 days, the courtly lady emerged, transformed into the dreaded Hashihime. As a living oni, she took revenge on all who she envied and anyone else related to them. Her rage continue afterwards, as she slayed many that crosses the Uji Bridge.
Eventually a shrine was built to placate the Hashihime of Uji Bridge. In modern times, there are less deaths on the bridge and visitors to the shrine has more benign requests. Prayers such as to forget an old flame or cut off ties of your complicated relationships. Hashihime is really good at burning one’s bridges.
Yokai Details
- name: Hashihime (hah-shi-hee-meh)
- kanji: 橋姫 (はしひめ)
- meaning: maiden of the bridge
- abilities:
- paralysis — ability to knock anyone unconscious
- oni transformation — transform into a fiery demonic form
- fire manipulation — limited control over fire
