Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: 見越入道, みこしにゅうどう, Mikoshi, Miage Nyūdō, Taka Bōzu, Anticipating Priest
Category: Giant
The Myth
Mikoshi nyūdō are fearsome Japanese yōkai that appear to lone travelers on deserted roads, at crossroads, and on bridges, particularly at night. They initially resemble ordinary Buddhist priests or monks, seemingly harmless and no taller than an average person. However, when someone looks directly at them, they begin to grow at an unnatural speed. As they increase in height, their appearance becomes increasingly monstrous, with long claws and hair resembling that of a wild beast.
The mikoshi nyūdō grows as high as its observer can raise their eyes, compelling the unfortunate traveler to look upward in an attempt to follow its towering form. This sudden movement can cause the victim to lose their balance and fall backward, giving the giant an opportunity to attack. It lunges at fallen travelers and may bite their throats with its teeth. Those who encounter this cruel yōkai rarely survive. Attempting to ignore it or walk past can provoke the giant to crush the traveler or impale them with bamboo spears and branches. Running away is equally dangerous, while those who remain frozen in fear may simply drop dead in its terrifying presence.
The only way to escape is to anticipate the giant’s trick, which explains the meaning of its name, Anticipating Priest. A traveler must face the mikoshi nyūdō directly, meet its gaze without fear, and look downward from its head to its feet rather than beginning at the feet and looking upward. If performed correctly, this reverses the creature’s advantage and drains its ability to grow. Declaring, “You lost! I anticipated your trick!” can cause the giant to vanish in anger, allowing the traveler to continue safely. The encounter therefore demands courage, composure, and the ability to recognize the yōkai’s deception before it gains the upper hand.
Mikoshi nyūdō can also be the transformed forms of certain animals, particularly itachi (weasels) and tanuki (raccoon dogs), which assume the shape of these giants to hunt humans. Kitsune (foxes) and mujina (badgers or other badger-like animals) may occasionally take this form as well. Unlike other mikoshi nyūdō, those created through shapeshifting often carry an object such as a bucket or lantern. This object contains the shapeshifter’s true body and sustains its disguise. If a traveler manages to seize it before the giant attacks, the transformation is broken, leaving the yōkai vulnerable to its captor.
Sources
“Mikoshi Nyūdō.” Yokai.com. https://yokai.com/mikoshinyuudou/