Have you noticed puddles along roads forming but it has not rain for days? Or come across a pool of water while hiking in the woods but there is no river in sight? These are evidence of the female yokai locally known as nure-onago. She preys on gullible young men by enchanting them with her bewitching smile.
The lore of nure-onago has been heard and shared, predominantly, across the region of Shikoku and Kyushu. And the origin is most likely from the Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県). In olden days, nure-onago encounters vary quite a bit, depending on the story teller. Some recount the tales of her coming out of the sea, while others recite a young lady standing by the quiet path after a rainy night. There are even accounts of a strange maiden in the middle of an overgrown swamp, seemingly waiting for someone.
Description & Behaviour
But in all the stories, the depictions and interactions of nure-onago is eerily similar. She is described as a young woman who is drenched wet from head to toe. As she stares at her feet, her tousled long hair continuously drip with mysterious water. All this while, the shy maiden unsuccessfully protects her dignity as her bosom peaked through the soaking wet kimono.
The unwitting hero advances towards the damsel in distress. As the young man approaches, nure-onago slowly raise her head and presents her saviour with a bewitching smile. When her prey returns the smile, the trap springs. Nure-onago‘s enchantment paralyzes her victim in catatonic state. Slowly, but surely, she encase her new boyfriend-victim in a watery prison. Eventually they disappear into the dark waters, never to be seen again.
Genesis
Many believe that nure-onago arise from the accumulation of sadness and loss of the drowned victims in torrential rain, floods and/or tsunami. During the rainy seasons, the grievances and unrequited loss are amplified. Consequently, the number of accounts recorded are greater during the monsoon seasons.
Interestingly, nure-onago has strikingly similar behaviour to hari-onago and ohaguro nettari. These female yokai bewitch their victims with their smiles and their victims are young, virile men. Collectively they are known as warai-onago, literally meaning “the smiling girls”.
Modern Accounts
In recent years, nure-onago accounts have slightly in their appearances. Of late, tales of missing young men after a rainy night are coupled with sightings of a drenching wet young woman in a local high school uniform. nure-onago seemed to have evolved in order to maintain her diet of young men. Some recent accounts include cars and trucks found empty after a rainy night while the engines continue to run. Many speculate that these are also the works of nure-onago.
So, while you are driving home from school or work and you do happen to see a drenched school girl, best to ignore and continue on home. But if you really have to be a hero about it, don’t smile back. Just be grumpy about your rescue. It might just save your life.
Yokai Details
- name: nure-onago (noo-reh-oh-nah-goh)
- kanji: 濡女子 ( ぬれおなご )
- meaning: wet girls
- alternative spelling:
- nure-onago (濡れ女子)
- abilities:
- hydrokinesis — generate significant amount of water
- mental paralysis — immobilize a person with a smile
- water prison — create a water bubble to capture a person
