Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: お化け兎, Ghost Rabbit, Shapeshifting Rabbit
Category: Rabbit
The Myth
Obake Usagi, meaning “monster rabbit” or “ghost rabbit,” appears in a children’s story written by Yosano Akiko in her collection Otogibanashi Shōnen Shōjo, published in 1910. Despite its name, the creature is actually a tanuki attempting to disguise itself as a rabbit. One day, a boy named Tarō notices a strange white animal hiding behind an artificial hill in his garden. It resembles a rabbit, but its raccoon-dog-like face, large belly, and long tail make its appearance suspicious. Tarō calls his companions Ume and Hanako to investigate.
When Tarō asks whether it is a rabbit, the creature confidently answers yes. Determined to expose the deception, Tarō points out the animal’s supposed inconsistencies. He remarks that rabbits usually have red eyes, and the creature immediately makes its eyes red. When Tarō criticizes its large, black tail, it transforms it into a small, white one. When he says that a rabbit’s hind legs should be longer, the creature promptly lengthens them. Each time Tarō identifies another feature, the shapeshifter alters its body to match, gradually becoming more convincing.
Eventually, Tarō claims that all rabbits have three mouths, referring to the shape of a rabbit’s mouth. Not understanding this expression, the disguised tanuki sprouts three actual mouths on its face. As the children laugh, it becomes increasingly confused, adding more mouths before Tarō persuades it to beat its belly like a traditional tanuki. When the children call it “Mr. Tanuki,” the creature instinctively answers, exposing its identity. It confesses that it disguised itself as a rabbit because rabbits are praised as good creatures, while tanuki are often portrayed as wicked, particularly in tales such as Kachi-kachi Yama. Tarō reassures it that doing good matters more than what others say, and the repentant tanuki abandons its disguise. It befriends the children and returns home with gifts of sweets and mandarins.
Sources
“Ghost Rabbit.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1084316733.html