Onryō Archives - Yokai Toons

Onryō, Suijin, Yokai

Umizatō the Blind Siren of the Sea

The seas surrounding Japan are dangerous and tempermental. Often, rites are performed to calm them before sea travel. Additionally, these rituals satiate the sea yokai such as funayūrei and umibōzu. Today’s yokai is a lesser known creature of the sea, but just as dangerous. Today we discuss the sinister umizatō, the blind siren of the sea.

Since pre-Edo period, umizatō is described as a biwahōshi (琵琶法師) roaming the seas. Biwahoshi are Japanese bards who share ancient stories through music. Usually they are blind and play the biwa as accompaniment.

However, umizatō is less entertaining and more dangerous. Without sight, he walks the sea with a walking cane. The blind yokai also carries the biwa on his back. Additionally, umizatō taps around noisily, stirring up the waves as he wanders the sea.

Dangerous Waters

Although, umizatō looks harmless, his actions are not. For example, umizatō creates large waves and capsizes the sturdiest ships. Alternatively, he causes shipwrecks by beckoning fishing ships to reefs. Undoubtedly, umizatō is the blind siren of the sea.

But these facts is nothing compared to this next tale. An ancient sea “accident” describes a giant umizatō rising from the seas and swallowed a ship whole. Consequently, only a handful of survivors lived to tell the tale.

Conclusion

Yokai experts say that umizatō are onryō of blind men died at sea. Either by accident or sacrificed to calm choppy seas. Furthermore, umizatō are said to be vindictive towards fishermen at sea. But no reasons were given. Nonetheless, they do not prey on respecful travellers. So, before taking your sea cruise, it doesn’t hurt to say a little prayer before boarding.

Yokai Details

name: umizatō ( oo-me-zah-toe )
kanji: 海座頭 (うみざとう)
meaning: blind man of the sea
abilities:
1. ocean control — the ability to create and shape the oceans and seas
2. echolocation — tapping the seas in search of fishing boats and ships

Onryō, Warai-onago, Yokai

Kuchisake-onna Gives You a Big Smile

Most yokai originates from the Edo period. And, today’s yokai is no different. However, in contemporary urban legends, this female yokai as popular as teke-teke. In fact, the city occurences were so serious that it involved the japanese police. Undoubtedly, today’s yokai is kuchisake-onna and she gives you a big smile.

As legend goes, kuchisake-onna is a female onryō with a mutilated mouth. Her mouth was slit open from ear to ear. Usually, she hunts around town nightly and carries a sharp object. For example, a kitchen knife, a pair of scissors and, even, a razor blade. In days of old, she wields a tantō.

During the Edo period, kuchisake-onna wore a furisode and frequented the streets of yūkaku. Consequently, she used her long sleeves to hide her identity from the horny men. Sometimes, a fan or handkerchief was used instead. However, in contemporary times, kuchisake-onna hunts along quiet alleyways. The onryō wears a face mask to conceal her slit-mouth. Also, now, she preys on anyone. Certainly, she has evolved her methods. She became a more opportunistic predator.

Modus Operandi

Nonetheless, kuchisake-onna‘s method has not changed over the centuries. In fact, she stayed true to her vengeful nature. Firstly, kuchisake-onna roams the streets searching for prey. When she encounters one, the onryō appraoches her unsuspecting victim.

Then, with her mouth covered, kuchisake-onna asks her prey, “Watashi, kirei?” (“Am I pretty?”) If he/she answers no, the onryō draws her weapon and kills her victim immediately. However, if her prey says yes, kuchisake-onna advances to phase two.

Subsequently, she reveals her mutilated mouth to her prey. Then, kuchisake-onna repeats her question. “Kore demo?” (“Even now?”) If her victim replies no (or screams), she kills him/her instantly. If her prey answers yes, kuchisake-onna moves to phase three.

In this last phase, kuchisake-onna hugs her victim close and grins. Slowly, and deliberately, she removes her tool and slices her victim. Kuchisake-onna cuts him/her a fresh new mouth. One with a mutilated smile, just like her.

Survival Guide

First and foremost, avoid solitary woman in dark quiet streets. In this way, you also avoid other warai-onago yokai such as nure-onago and ohaguro-bettari. Of course, if you do have the “need” to chat up with these “beautiful” women, there are ways to escape the clutches of kuchisake-onna.

For instance, you may throw bekkoame or other forms of hard candy on the ground. Kuchisake-onna loves sweets. Escpecially caramalised hard candy. And they prefer these tributes to slicing your face up. Alternatively, some experts suggest throwing money. Especially, ¥500 coins. Although, these claims have yet to be substantiated. Good luck trying.

If you have none of these, or prefer to keep your money instead of your life, there are other exit strategies. These strategies revolve around providing an unconventional answer. For instance, instead of a ‘yes’ or ‘no’, answer “mā-mā…” (meaning “so-so”). Or even, “heikin teki na” (meaning “looks average/normal”). Such answers will leave kuchisake-onna confused. Therefore, you have enough time to take flight. But, of course, kuchisake-onna can still catch up and then she gives you a big smile.

Yokai Details

name: kuchisake-onna ( koo-chi-sah-kay-on-nah )
kanji: 口裂け女 (くちさけおんな)
meaning: slit-mouth woman
abilities:
1. paralysis inducement — ability to partially immobilize others
2. tracking evasion — hide from followers or pursuers

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Onryō, Yokai

Heikegani the Crabby Avenger

Many scholars assure that heikegani is just Heikeopsis japonica, also called samurai crab. A normal crab with a shell that happened to look like a face. However, there are yokai also called heikegani. They are similar to funayūrei in their grudge against the living. However, they are more targeted. They focus their vengeance on the descendants of the Genji clan. Such is the resolve of heikegani, the crabby avenger.

Heikegani scower the Kammon Straits (関門海峡) looking for revenge. They purposefully walk into fishermen’s nets. Eventually, these fishermen will make eye contact upon heikegani. The crab yokai stares the fishermen into a trance and looks for the Genji blood. When detected, heikegani pours out his grudge and scorn into soul of the fisherman.

Madness and insanity swell in the victims’s head. His limbs bend in awkward angles. His body twists into bizzarre forms. Consequently, heikegani pulls the fisherman into the sea. His screams and threshing attracts more heikegani. In the end, they drown the victim. And then, the heikegani slowly feed on the deceased.

War of Thrones Origin

During the Heian period, there was a power struggle between the imperial rulers of Japan. A struggle between House Taira (Heike clan) and House Minamoto (Genji clan). Henceforth, the civil war between the great houses is known as the Genpei War (源平合戦).

Eventually, in 1185AD, the war climaxed in a great sea battle called the Battle of Dan-no-ura (壇ノ浦の戦い). Although House Taira had the initial advantage of the morning tide, they lost the battle due to treachery. Because, a Taira general defected. Furthermore, he attacked the rear guard. As such, hundreds of Taira warriors and noblemen perished in the fight.

Legend says that these begrudging souls roam the traits ever since. Evidently, the most scornful of these samurai souls corrupt the local crabs. As such, their warrior scorn is forever etched onto the crab’s shell. Such is the origin of heikegani, the crabby avenger.

Yokai Details

name: heikegani ( hei-kay-gah-nee )
kanji: 平家蟹 (へいけがに)
meaning: crab of House Taira
abilities:
1. detection — sense the presence of Genji clan
2. corrupt manipulation — corrupts an individual into madness

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Onryō, Suijin, Yokai

Funayūrei Army of Undead Drowners

Funayūrei and their army of undead drowners

People of Japan have strong roots in its lands and the seas around it. As such, there are an abundance of yokai relaated to thesea. Some of them are benevolent, such as amabie. Alternatively, there are large monsters that cause seaquakes and tsunami,such as umibōzu. As for today, we are discussing the later. Yokai that is feared by all fishermen and seamen. One that known as funayūrei and their army of undead drowners.

Funayūrei are vengeful sea wraiths. They are the spirits of those who died at sea. Spirits who died at sea battles. Souls swallowed by huge waves and typhoons. As such, their numbers are in the millions. As many legends say, seeing funayūrei at sea is certain death. When you see one, others will follow.

Hunderd Ways to Die

These creatures of malevolence goal is to sink all ships they meet. And they may sink them in various ways. For example, funayūrei may ask for a bamboo ladle called hishaku (柄杓). And then fill the boat with sea water using the asked hishaku.

Alternatively, during heavy fogs, they may push the ships into cliffs or large rocks. In rare instances, funayūrei are large ghost ships that simply ram into unsuspecting seafarers. Not unlike the Flying Ducthman. No matter the method, one thing is for certain, funayūrei aim to increase their army of undead drowners.

Be Prepared

Nonetheless, these spiteful wraiths can be appeased. The simplest method is throwing onigiri into the sea. Alternatively, in Kōzushima, they throw dango, flowers and incense. Another common method is to prepare a bottomless hishaku so that it cannot carry water. But of course, this works only if they ask for one.

Yokai Details

name: funayūrei ( foo-nah-you-ray-ee )
kanji: 船幽霊 or 舟幽霊 (ふなゆうれい)
aka: akayashi (アヤカシ) in Saga & Yamguchi prefecture
meaning: boat spirit
abilities:
1. incorporeal beings — cannot be touched or physically attacked
2. calling — call forth other funayurei from anywhere
3. mass manipulation — able to change its size and mass

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Mamono, Onryō, Yokai

Wanyudo Burns Across the Fiery Sunset

One of the most feared yokai in Japanese history, if not the most, is the blazing wanyudo. Also known as Firewheel or Soultaker (魂狩), he is the infernal guardian that patrols the fiendish pathway to the Gates of Hell. On a fiery crimson sunset, the filament between Here and There thins just enough for the wanyudo to burn through. Then he will fiercely whirl his oxcart wheel, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, terrorizing the city and leaving a trail of soulless bodies along its path.

Origin

It is commonly believed that wanyudo is the reincarnated condemned soul of an tyrant Daimyo. And this unnamed feudal lord of ancient Kyoto was notorious for abusing and torturing his rivals. He would parade his semi-conscious victims around by dragging them behind his grand oxcart.

Eventually, on the Daimyo’s last torture towing tours, he was assassinated and beheaded by a ninja. The lord’s tormented face reeled across the town square and continued to roll into the fiery depths of hell. As divine punishment, he was cursed to become Wanyudo and terrorize the skies of Kyoto for decades after.

Yokai Terrorist

Based on its most prominent origin story (above), wanyudo can be considered a type of onryo, even though it is not a yurei. This categorization can be further reasoned by its malicious actions such as running over its victims and/or rending the limbs off said person. The only way to protect yourself from the rampaging wanyudo is to avoid its terrorizing path and wicked gaze.

For instance, there is an ancient story from Kyoto tells of a woman who peeked at wanyudo as it rolled through town. “Instead of me, you should have looked at your child!” it screamed. The woman turned only to see a limbless infant in a pool of blood. When she looked out again, wanyudo was already whirling away, munching on her baby’s legs.

Even in this modern age, there are still many who believe and fear in the wanyudo. No wards can protect you from his terrors. No charm can save you from his dread. All you can do is stay indoors, hide and pray that he does not catch a glimpse of your soul.

Yokai Details

name: wanyudo (wah-ni-you-doh)
kanji: 輪入道 (わにゅうどう)
meaning: wheel monk
aka:
- firewheel ( 火輪 )
- soultaker ( 魂狩 )
abilities:
1. pyrokinesis — generate extreme heat and produce fire
2. pyrexia — give an individual severe fever
3. flight — ability to fly
4. soul steal — remove the life essence of any individual

Onryō, Yokai

Teketeke the Vengeful Spirit

One of the most popular urban legend is about a ghost that haunts the Japanese railway line. This yokai continually toils along the tracks, dragging herself around looking for her next victim. Her crawling and scratching sound amplifies in the quiet night. That yokai is a teketeke, a vengeful spirit who looks for that someone suffer as much as she has.

Teketeke is a type of yurei known as an onryo (怨霊), a vengeful spirit. Usually in the form of a woman, the ghost haunts railway crossings and in some occasions dark isolated roads. Many believe that she is the malevolent spirit of a victim rail or road accident.

The onryo is described as a ghostly apparition with only the upper torso and holding the kama (鎌), a Japanese sickle or scythe. Teketeke, usually, moves around by dragging her limp body across the ground thus making the scratching “teke teke”sound. But there are also reports of her ability to float around upright. In such cases, the scratching sound is made by her dragging her kama along.

Railway Crossings

A young man managed to take the last train and was walking home. As he was crossing a railway crossing, he heard the “teke teke” scratching sound coming towards him along the train tracks. The onryo emerged out of the darkness, dragging herself faster and faster towards the man. As he turned around to run in the opposite direction, teketeke appeared floating before him and cut the young man in half.

Night School

A teenage boy returned late from school one night and was about to leave the compound when he noticed a girl at his classroom windowsill. As the girl smiled, he returned the smile and wondered why there was a girl in an all-boys school.

Suddenly, the girl jumped out from the 2nd floor, landed on the ground and started to crawl her way towards the school boy. When he saw that it was only her upper torso, the teenager froze in fear. Moments later, teketeke lunged forward and cut the boy in half.

Yokai Details

name: teketeke (teh-keh-teh-keh)
kanji: テケテケ
onomatopoeia: sound of body dragging
abilities:
1. levitation — possess the ability to hover
2. teleport — able to move or be at another place in an instant

Onryō, Yokai

Strange Moans From An Abandoned Forsaken Well

One summer night, during a school club trip, I was challenged to Kimodameshi (肝試し), a test of courage and manhood. My scary task was to take the deserted forest path that leads to an abandoned well. As I fearfully walked into the forest, I heard low moans coming from the direction of the well. The wails grew louder the closer I get. Eventually, I chickened out and ran all the way back before I even see the well, or yurei.

In feudal times, wells, especially abandoned ones, have always been a convenient place to discard the remains of murdered victims. Wells have also been used as a site to commit suicide, by jumping from height or drowning. The unnatural deaths and lack of proper burials create a powerful hostile energy that eventually becomes the vengeful revenant called kyokotsu .

These haunting yurei frequents the wells nightly, moaning and lamenting about their rotten lives or wretched deaths. On a full moon, Kyokotsu will be infused with enough spectral energy to go beyond the bounds of the well and haunt nearby regions. There are even stories whereby the living is pulled into the shadowy abyss, on a moonless night.

Description

In Toriyama Sekien‘s book Konjyaku Hyaku Kishui, kyokotsu is illustrated, as a bleached skull with long wavy hair and dressed in its burial kimono. The yurei floats over an abandoned well, seething with rage and vengeance. The supernatural link between wells and the dead is well known in Japanese lore and has been retold many times, throughout the generations. An example of the unearthly connections are depicted in “Ring” (リング) where the yurei Sadako is birthed from an abandoned well underneath a forest cabin.

Many ancient Japanese traditions say that old wells, especially abandoned ones, lead to the other side. The very gateway to the underworld is at the bottom of the decrepit well. So the next time you happened upon an abandoned well, avoid it all together. You may never know who or what you will drag you into the dark abyss.

Yokai Details

name: kyokotsu (key-yoh-oo-koh-tsoo)
kanji: 狂骨 (きょうこつ)
meaning: crazy bones
abilities:
1. phasing — able to turn intangible and move through solid objects
2. levitation — possess the ability to hover