Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: お岩, O-Iwa
Category: Ghost
The Myth
Oiwa is one of the most famous vengeful ghosts in Japanese mythology and the central female figure of Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan. She was the wife of Tamiya Iemon, a man who betrayed her and conspired with others against her. Oiwa was given poison disguised as medicine intended to help her recover after childbirth. The poison horribly disfigured her face, leaving her with long hair and a swollen, damaged eye. Her suffering and betrayal filled her with resentment, and she died bearing a terrible grudge against Iemon and his accomplices.
After her death, Oiwa returned as a terrifying ghost to torment those responsible for her suffering. Her apparition haunted Iemon and his companions, driving them toward madness and gruesome deaths. She also caused the deaths of Iemon’s mother and other people around him. In his isolated dwelling on Hebiyama, Iemon was tormented by Oiwa’s ghost and swarms of rats, unable to escape the horror that followed him. His torment eventually ended when Sato Yomoshichi, the husband of Oiwa’s sister Osode, killed him.
Oiwa’s ghost is remembered for her horrifying yet sometimes sorrowful appearance, particularly her long, disheveled hair and swollen eye. Her story has become one of Japan’s best-known ghost tales, and her image has shaped the familiar depiction of the vengeful female spirit. Legends surrounding her curse persist, with performers and theatrical productions traditionally seeking her blessing before retelling her story, fearing the misfortune that might follow those who disrespect her memory.
Sources
“お岩 (Oiwa).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654415.html