Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Batsu, Kanbo, Shinchi, 魃, ひでりがみ
Category: Monkey
The Myth
The Hiderigami is a grotesque, hairy humanoid spirit that stands only two to three feet tall. It has a single eye on the top of its head, along with just one arm and one leg. Despite its unusual body, it can run as swiftly as the wind. All Hiderigami are female and inhabit remote mountain regions, rarely venturing into places where humans live.
The Hiderigami is feared for the devastating heat radiating from its body. Wherever it travels, the ground dries out, clouds fail to form, and rain ceases to fall. Its presence can therefore cause drought across a wide area, making it a dangerous spirit even when people never see it. Despite its formidable powers, tradition claims that a Hiderigami can be killed by throwing it into a toilet.
The creature is associated with an ancient Chinese legend concerning the Yellow Emperor’s war against the warlord Chi You. The emperor summoned a powerful goddess named Batsu to help him win the battle. Batsu released her supernatural heat, securing victory, but expended so much power that she could neither return to Heaven nor contain the heat within her body. Wherever she remained, water dried up and rain could not fall. Unable to kill her or send her back to Heaven, the emperor banished her to a distant mountain and forbade her from returning. It remains uncertain whether the Hiderigami descended from Batsu or whether the goddess herself was transformed into this drought-causing spirit.
Sources
“Hiderigami.” Yokai.com. https://yokai.com/hiderigami/