Japanese Ghost Tales

Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper

Junior Member
In investigating or researching any paranormal phenomenon, I believe in the importance of learning about any local legends and myths. Over the years, I have studied folklore, superstitions along with modern urban legends throughout the world. Some of the most twisted and disturbed ghostly tales I ever encountered originate from Japan. With Halloween around the corner, I would like to share a few of those Japanese stories in a three part series by beginning with the Kuckisake-Onna or the Slit-Mouthed Women.


In Japanese lore, the Kuckisake-Onna is a vengeful spirit believed capable of harming and even killing the living. There has been variations of the legend over the centuries, but the one to be told is the modern tale. As the story goes, a vain woman often teased her jealous husband how her beauty could get any man she wanted. One day, her paranoid husband accused her of cheating and in a rage sliced here mouth open from ear to ear with a knife while shouting “Who will think you're beautiful now?” The wife soon died from the injuries.

The legend tells her spirit returns to haunt the streets of Japan seeking revenge. Her ghost would appear on a foggy day or at night in the form of a beautiful woman wearing an over coat with a surgical mask covering her face. In Japan and several other Asian countries, the mask is commonly worn by those not want to spread the cold, flu or other sickness to family and friends. In the case of Kuckisake-Onna, it's to hide the scars from those she confronts.

The tale continues that she will appear out of nowhere approaching you and ask “Am I pretty?”. If the answer is yes, she will tear the surgical mask off revealing the scarred mouth and ask “How about now?”. At this point, if answered no, she pulls out a sword, a knife, or an oversized pair of scissors, depending on the version of the legend, and kills you on the spot. If you say yes instead, then the ghost slashes your mouth open like hers.

One cannot escape the Kuckisake-Onna, as she is fast and able to instantly teleport in front of you. But according to the myth, there are ways to survive this encounter. The first one is to say yes to the creature first time around then when she asks “how about now?” respond with “so-so”,”about average” or even “how about me? Am I pretty?”. These replies are believed to distract the ghost long enough to escape from as it ponders on your answer. The second way is to offer the spirit amber candy which it takes in delight then disappears

In my research, this modern version or urban legend of Kuckisake-Onna appears in Japan during the 1970s. Early accounts said the spirit would attack young men who resembled her husband. Years later the story became she targetted children. This tale has been featured within popular media forms within Japan.
 
Ghost stories are told to pretence a truth, offer a warning, give an explanation to life, teach a moral and even entertain. In Japan, there is a ghost stories for every occasion in life, even going to the bathroom. Yes, the bathroom has its share of ghouls, spirits demons and other monsters lurking around the toilet. In my next installment of Japanese ghostly tales, I would like to introduce the Aka Manto.


The Aka Manto is a vengeful spirit that haunts public toilets, described to be wearing a red cape and a golden mask. There are many variations to the story, but the most common one starts with a handsome Japanese man killed in a restroom stall. Now there is no explanation as to how or why he was murdered, but to die on the toilet was humiliating and his spirit return seeking revenge.

An encounter with Aka Manto begins with going to a public bathroom to do one's business. Through the stall, you hear a disembodied voice asking if you want red or blue toilet paper. Realizing there is no toilet paper in the stall you would need some. If the response was red, the Aka Manto would appear in front of you to either rip the skin off, decapitate or tear you into pieces as your own blood turns everything red. If the choice was blue, the ghost appears, grabs you by the neck and chokes you until you're blue in the face. In other versions of the story, the question is to a pick red or blue article of clothing, such as a vest or cape.

In most of the Japanese lore, there are ways mentioned on how to escape encounters with ghosts or demons. Unfortunately with the Aka Manto, there are very few options on evading this spirit once it appears. If you try to trick it by not answering the question or choosing another colour, it will grab and pull you to hell through the toilet. If you try to run away, the ghost will catches you and wait for an answer. There are a few stories that say if you answer yellow the Aka Manto dunks your face into the toilet bowel. Gross, but you get to live.

There are many variations to the origins of the Aka Manto as there are to the legend. There has been reports of a man dress in a red cape going far back as the 1930s said to be a stalker, vampire or a ghost. In researching the internet, stories mentioning Aka Manto haunting toilets in public restroom seem to start in the 1980s. The ghost is popular in horror movies, games and manga.
 

Nice! These are very interesting stories and I do love a good ghost story or legends. They always start from something.

Another plus....you just gave me a few good ideas for Halloween costumes!
 

Glad you enjoyed it. I got another to post when I find it. Wish you all the luck in bring fears to the
neighborhood with the costumes.
 
About ten years ago, I went to the local theatre on Halloween to watch the premiere of “The Grudge”. Now I know not too many critics enjoyed this movie, but I found the horror film to be entertaining. Did you know that the show is actually based off Japanese folklore of the onryo or vengeful spirit? According to legends, when one dies enrage or in sorrow their ghost returns and is capable of interacting with the world of the living. The onryo can inflict harm, cause curses and even kill people as it seeks to exact revenge. In Japan, there are tons of stories about vengeful spirits including the Teke-Teke.

There are many versions of this ghostly tale, but for this article the most common one will be told. The story begins with a young Japanese girl walking home late at night, alone. While cutting through a train yard, she is assaulted by a gang of thugs who have their way and leave her for dead. Still clinging onto life, she drags herself across the ground looking for help. Unfortunately, the young woman while crossing over a rail track was not able to move in time as the approaching train cuts her into two.

The legend says her ghost then returns seeking vengeance as a teke-teke. This spirit is described as the upper torso of a woman, without the bottom half, dragging or even walking on her hands or elbows. The name of the ghost comes from the sound of her clawing along the ground, “teke-teke-teke”. The spirit is said to be carrying a scythe on her while roaming the city streets or buildings. Variations of the story tell how the teke-teke searches for her legs, seeks revenge on her attackers or is just cursed to wonder the earth, but all agreement an encounter with this ghost is deadly.

If you ever get confronted by this spirit, she pulls out the scythe and with inhuman speed slices you into two. There are stories if you are killed by teke-teke, you are forever cursed to becoming one. The only way to surviving such an encounter is to be quicker than her or hope, in some versions of the story, she asks “Where are my legs?” If the teke-teke does question you this, reply with her legs are at “Meishin Railway” and remember to answer “Kashima Reiko” if asked who told you.

There are many other ghostly tales within Japan which I found to be very dark and twisted. In the near future I plan on posting more Japanese legends and lore, until then I hope you enjoyed reading this series.
 
Gatekeeper said:
About ten years ago, I went to the local theatre on Halloween to watch the premiere of “The Grudge”. Now I know not too many critics enjoyed this movie, but I found the horror film to be entertaining. Did you know that the show is actually based off Japanese folklore of the onryo or vengeful spirit? According to legends, when one dies enrage or in sorrow their ghost returns and is capable of interacting with the world of the living. The onryo can inflict harm, cause curses and even kill people as it seeks to exact revenge. In Japan, there are tons of stories about vengeful spirits including the Teke-Teke.

There are many versions of this ghostly tale, but for this article the most common one will be told. The story begins with a young Japanese girl walking home late at night, alone. While cutting through a train yard, she is assaulted by a gang of thugs who have their way and leave her for dead. Still clinging onto life, she drags herself across the ground looking for help. Unfortunately, the young woman while crossing over a rail track was not able to move in time as the approaching train cuts her into two.

The legend says her ghost then returns seeking vengeance as a teke-teke. This spirit is described as the upper torso of a woman, without the bottom half, dragging or even walking on her hands or elbows. The name of the ghost comes from the sound of her clawing along the ground, “teke-teke-teke”. The spirit is said to be carrying a scythe on her while roaming the city streets or buildings. Variations of the story tell how the teke-teke searches for her legs, seeks revenge on her attackers or is just cursed to wonder the earth, but all agreement an encounter with this ghost is deadly.

If you ever get confronted by this spirit, she pulls out the scythe and with inhuman speed slices you into two. There are stories if you are killed by teke-teke, you are forever cursed to becoming one. The only way to surviving such an encounter is to be quicker than her or hope, in some versions of the story, she asks “Where are my legs?” If the teke-teke does question you this, reply with her legs are at “Meishin Railway” and remember to answer “Kashima Reiko” if asked who told you.

There are many other ghostly tales within Japan which I found to be very dark and twisted. In the near future I plan on posting more Japanese legends and lore, until then I hope you enjoyed reading this series.
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I would hate the ghost of a long Dead Ninja warrior coming towards me lol :ROFLMAO:
 
In studying legends and folklore from around the world, one also learns about existing cultural traditions and taboos. As an example, in parts of Asia there is a custom called ohagura involving dyeing one’s teeth black. This practice was mainly performed by women indicating their martial status, wealthy, and sexual maturity. The custom has existed in Japan for hundreds of years that may have given birth to the legend of Ohaguro-Bettari.

In Japan, there are many folklore about creatures called yokai, which is a board term given to the ghosts, spirits and other supernatural monsters within the country. These spirits are the end results when humans, animal or even household items are involved in tragic events such as war, death, murder, suicide and any number or other violent act. The Ohaguro-Bettari is a female yokia believe to be the ghost of an unwed bride or an unattractive woman that died or committed suicide before finding a husband.

The Ohaguro-Bettari is described as a beautiful woman wearing a traditional bridal kimono hiding her face from view by either turning away or concealing it in her robe. She would appear in the evening or at night in some temple or shire on the edge of town often drawing the attention of young man. If anyone was to approach her, this yokia would reveal her white head with an enlarge open mouth of blackened teeth while lacking any other facial features. Once discovered, the Ohaguro-Bettari would let out a blood curdling scream instantly sending anyone lighting into a flight of fear and terror

In researching this yokia, her only intentions are to make her presence known to humans and scare them off. The Ohaguro-Bettari is known to be among the spirits that enjoy tormenting people for entertainment. There is no myth or legend of any death or injury to be attributed to this ghost when encountered, but sightings are always rare. If there is a moral about the Ohaguro-Bettari to be learned it would be careful meeting beautiful women at night that appear out of nowhere.
 

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