During my travels in Kawagoe, Saitama, I came across a lesser-known Itsukushima Jinja. Interestingly, there was a setsumatsuha (摂末社) that enshrines a pair of white snakes protecting a golden egg. The auxiliary shrine reminds me of a yokai that protects sacred snake mounds. She is jakotsubabā, the warden of the serpent mounds.
As it is said, there are numerous serpent mounds all across Japan. These mounds are sacred sites that enshrines snake kami. Jakotsubabā protects these serpent mounds, especially the abandoned and forgotten ones. She is the guardian that zealously attacks any unwanted trespasser.
Red Snake, Blue Snake
Jakotsubabā bears two snakes, one on each hand. But her snakes are unlike the more popular albino snake kami of pure white. She carries a blue snake on her right hand and a red one on her left. This harkens to the opposing duality similar to the yokai namahage. Hence, the red and blue snakes may represent the male and female sex respectively.
On the other hand, the red and blue colour may be more akin to akamanto. The two colours are options and either lead to death. When jakotsubabā confronts the trespasser, she offers him a the red and blue choices. Firstly, the red choice which will reveal a red venomous snake that bites and poisons its victim to death. Alternatively, the blue choice unveils the blue constrictor snake and it squeezes and crushes its the victim.
Foreign Origins
Originally, Toriyama Sekien (鳥山 石燕) claims that jakotsubabā comes from the mythical land of Bukan (巫咸) in China. Also, Bukan is called Fukan or Wuxian in Chinese. Interestingly, Wuxian (巫咸) is also the name of a powerful shaman during the Shang Dynasty. Sekien says that Bukan lies north to the land of Jochū (女丑), literally meaning ox-woman. The jochū are girls that were sacrificed for a bountiful harvest, or so it has been said.
Additionally, Sekien writes that jakotsubabā is the wife of a great snake yokai named Jagoemon (蛇五右衛門). And, she is tasked to protect her husband’s the sacred burial mound. In Bukan, they call her jagobabā (蛇五婆), meaning Jago’s Hag. At the end of the notation, Sekien suspiciously said “the truth is unknown”.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are little information about jakotsubabā. In fact, we have more questions to its origin then we first began. But one thing is for sure, jakotsubabā is not to be trifled with. She takes her tasks and vocation seriously. The bony old hag fiercely protects the snake shrines all across Japan. Jakotsubabā is the true warden of the serpent mounds.
Yokai Details
- name: jakotsubabā ( jah-koh-tsu-bah-baa )
- kanji: 蛇骨婆 (じゃこつばばあ)
- meaning: snake bony hag
- abilities:
- ophidiokinesis — the ability to influence and control all forms of snakes
- parseltongue — the ability to speak with serpents
