Category: Japanese Folklore
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The Matsutooya Haunting: When Two Living Spirits Turned Deadly in Edo-Period Kyoto
Why This Story I first encountered this account while researching documented cases of ikiryō—living spirits—in Edo-period records, and it immediately stood out for its unusual trajectory. Unlike most ghost stories where the supernatural elements remain comfortably abstract, this one pivots midway through: what begins as a haunting by living spirits transforms into something far more…
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The Living Spirit That Haunted Japan’s Capital: A Medieval Tale of Vengeance Beyond Death
WHY THIS STORY MATTERS When I first encountered this tale in medieval Japanese folklore literature, I was struck by something that lingered long after I finished reading: it wasn’t a ghost story in the Western sense. It was something far more unsettling. Most ghost narratives explore death—what happens when someone dies and cannot let go.…
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Amenouzume: The Goddess Who Danced the Sun Back to Life
Why I Chose This Story Among the countless tales in Japanese mythology, the story of Amenouzume holds a special place for me. She is not a warrior who defeats enemies with supernatural strength. She is not a sage who outwits demons through cunning. She is a dancer—and through dance alone, she saved the entire world…
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When a Voice Becomes a Weapon: A Heian-Era Tale of Curse and Consequence
Why This Tale? Among the many supernatural narratives preserved in classical Japanese literature, some stories stay with you longer than others. This particular tale from the Konjaku Monogatari-shū—a twelfth-century anthology—has lingered in my mind since I first encountered it. Perhaps it’s the premise that unsettles me most: the idea that simply answering a knock at…
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The Lantern That Remembers: Chōchin Obake and the Price of Ingratitude in Japanese Folklore
Why This Tale Of all the tsukumogami legends I’ve encountered, the stories surrounding lantern spirits hold a particular fascination for me. Perhaps it’s the irony—an object designed to bring light becoming a source of terror. Perhaps it’s the very real danger they represent in a culture where fire could erase entire neighborhoods in minutes. When…
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Okame-ga-Ike: The Japanese Folktale of a Woman, a Well, and a Serpent God’s Child
Okame-ga-Ike: The Japanese Folktale of a Woman, a Well, and a Serpent God’s Child Why This Story Among the countless serpent legends scattered throughout Japanese regional folklore, Okame-ga-Ike is one that lingers with me. It doesn’t feature a dramatic battle between hero and monster. There’s no vengeful spirit seeking retribution, no curse to be broken.…
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When Demons Choose the Dying: The Bakeneko Possession of Saga Domain
Why This Tale Among the numerous bakeneko legends scattered throughout Japanese folklore, this particular account from the Saga region has always struck me as unusually layered. Most cat-demon stories follow a predictable arc: a cat grows old, transforms, and terrorizes. This one doesn’t. What drew me to this tale was its refusal to settle into…
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The Coughing Maid: A Rokurokubi Tale of Silence and Survival
Why This Story Deserves Attention Among the vast collection of Japanese yokai folklore, rokurokubi tales hold a particular psychological tension that I find genuinely compelling. This specific narrative—drawn from Echizen regional folklore—has been adapted for clarity and flow for English-speaking audiences, but its core elements and emotional trajectory remain faithful to the traditional telling. What…
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The Onmyoji Who Summoned Pirates Back from the Sea: Chitoku of Harima Province
Why I Chose This Story Among the many tales of onmyōji preserved in classical Japanese literature, most spotlight the famous names—Abe no Seimei, Kamo no Yasunori, the great masters of the capital. But every so often, you encounter a figure operating far from the polished corridors of Kyoto, someone whose power was no less real…