Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Spider Son
Category: Spider
The Myth
The Spider Son was a half-human, half-spider child born from the union of a mountain spider spirit and a human woman. Although monstrous in appearance, he became famous for his wisdom, craftsmanship, and supernatural knowledge.
The story tells of a poor widower and his thirteen-year-old daughter, who survived by gathering wild greens in the mountains. One spring she met a handsome young man who offered to buy everything she collected each day. After many meetings, he revealed his true identity, transforming into a gigantic spider. Before disappearing into the mountains, he told her she was carrying his child and asked her to raise it with care.
In time she gave birth to a son who was human from the waist up but possessed the body of a spider below. Rather than abandoning him, the family lovingly accepted him and raised him as their own.
Ashamed of his appearance, the Spider Son asked his grandfather to cut a hole in the floor so he could remain hidden beneath the house while only his upper body emerged. From there he spent his days carving wooden toys, statues of gods and Buddhas, and other beautiful works. The children of the village loved his creations, and grateful families rewarded the poor household with rice and money.
As he grew older, the Spider Son became known for his extraordinary wisdom. When the daughter of a wealthy man fell gravely ill, he declared that she could be cured simply by drinking water from a hidden spring at the foot of a nearby mountain. Although few believed him, the spring was found exactly where he described, and the girl recovered immediately after drinking its water.
From then on, people traveled from far away seeking the Spider Son’s advice and predictions, which rarely proved false. His fame spread throughout the region, bringing prosperity to the once-impoverished family, while the mysterious child of a mountain spider came to be remembered as a miraculous being rather than a monster.
Sources
TYZ. (n.d.). Spider Son [蜘蛛の子]. In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1074146146.html