Sometimes we have feelings of dislike towards a close friend or envy for a co-worker’s fortune. Sometimes our bad thoughts intensify to monstrous proportions. If you do have these feelings, breathe, calm down and look around. You may just see the evil yokai that is provoking the dark desires of your wicked heart.
Amanojaku (or sometimes Amanjaku), is a vile yokai that has been around before the arrival of Buddhism in Japan. Many scholars have suggested that this deity originates from a Shinto deity known as Amanosagume (天探女). But there are little similarities between the two.
A small oni-boy is, usually, how amanojaku is described. This half-naked yokai is red-skinned and has typical oni features such as horns and fangs. The crude creatures are dressed minimally with animal skins or just loincloth.
Tale of Urikohime
The yokai, Amanojaku, is also recognized from “The Tale of Urikohime” where it feasted on a kawaii bride-to-be, named Urikohime, who was left alone at home. Amanojaku even pretended to be the girl when her parents returned home by wearing her flayed skin. But eventually the creature’s masquerade was revealed by a crow. The whole village chased it down and beat it to a pulp.
Recent urban legend states that, you can summon amanojaku to do your evil deeds. To call forth the yokai to do your bidding, need to stand in front of a mirror at the stroke of midnight and call out Urikohime. Even if you don’t see amanojaku in your reflection, you can still request for your wicked acts to be fulfilled.
Having a vile wicked thought? Why not try to summon the yokai amanojaku. You may just get the revenge you wanted. If not, you can just beat the creature to a pulp. ;p
Yokai Details
- name: amanojaku (ah-mah-noh-jah-koo)
- kanji: 天邪鬼 (あまのじゃく)
- meaning: vengeful spirit of the heavens
- abilities
- vile pollution — brings forth and intensifies the evil in a person’s heart abilities
- skin-walker — disguise itself by wearing the flayed skin of another
