Over the many yokai experiences, those that arise from the endless sea are the scariest of the lot. The creature, I’ll be discussing, today is no different. This underwater yokai is said to be the main cause of many unsolved drowning accidents off the shore of Japan.
Over the many yokai experiences, those that arise from the endless sea are the scariest of the lot. The creature, I’ll be discussing, today is no different. This underwater yokai is said to be the main cause of many unsolved drowning accidents off the shore of Japan.
Underwater divers have always been cautioned and warned about the dangers of the deep waters and underwater currents. These include stories of vacationers how have claimed to have seen their double while diving in the deep ocean. These apparations are most likely to be the works of Tomokazuki. The yokai will beckon its victim deeper into the ocean and further away from the diving group.
Origin Story
Tomokazuki is well known and feared among the Ama (海人) community of female pearl divers. Tales of close encounters indicate that the ocean yokai usually appear during a cloudy weather. The doppelganger Tomokazuki is described as dressed similar to the pearl diver and lures her victims deeper into the ocean by offering larger abalones. Many who were enticed had drowned and died. Ama of the Shima Peninsula mark their tools and clothes with talismanic symbols of the seiman (セーマン) and doman (ドーマン) to protect themselves from Tomokazuki and shiri-koboshi.
If you do see someone unfamiliar while scuba dive in the waters of Japan, there are indicators that can identify a Tomokazuki. For the Ama divers, the yokai’s headband are much longer. On the other hand, for scuba divers’ Tomokazauki will probably be longer flippers. Nonetheless, be safe while swimming in the waters of Japan and be away of the dangers around.
Yokai Details
- name: tomokazuki (toh-moh-kah-zoo-kee)
- kanji: トモカヅキ (ともかづき)
- meaning: continue diving (archaic form)
- abilities:
- metamorph — shape-shift into any human of any age, usually woman
- water breathing — able to breathe underwater
