japanese forest dweller Mythology

Te Dake ga Sasori

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: 手だけがサソリ
Category: Forest Dweller

The Myth

Te Dake ga Sasori is a strange humanoid yokai depicted as an elderly man standing among felled trees. Its most distinctive feature is a pair of enormous, scorpion-like pincers in place of ordinary hands. These sharp, powerful claws are capable of cutting through even the trunks of great trees, making the creature a terrifying presence in the forest.

The yokai is said to use its immense pincers as deadly weapons, cutting down trees with ease and attacking people by severing their heads. Its appearance combines the form of an old man with the formidable claws of a giant scorpion, transforming an otherwise human-like figure into a dangerous monster. Those who encounter it risk falling victim to its razor-sharp pincers, which possess enough strength to fell even the largest trees.

Sources

“手だけがサソリ [て‐] (Te Dake ga Sasori).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). September 28, 2013. https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654438.html

Ushiuchibo

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Gyugyubo, Gyugyunyudo, Ushikaibo, Ox-Hit Man
Category: Forest Dweller

The Myth

Ushiuchibo is a mysterious yokai from the northern part of Tokushima Prefecture, feared for attacking cattle and horses. Its true appearance is unknown, although it has sometimes been glimpsed as a black, raccoon-like beast. The creature is elusive and difficult to catch, appearing around villages and farm buildings under cover of darkness. Its presence brings misfortune to livestock, making it a feared supernatural threat to farmers and their animals.

Ushiuchibo is said to invade stables and cattle sheds at night, injuring the animals inside. Even a slight wound inflicted by the creature is believed to be fatal, and cattle and horses attacked by it inevitably die. When livestock began dying one after another in the villages of Itano, the elders identified Ushiuchibo as the culprit, and guards were placed around the animal shelters. Although the guards occasionally spotted a suspicious black beast, they were never able to capture it, and its true identity remained a mystery.

To protect their livestock, people developed a ritual intended to destroy Ushiuchibo. After the Tanabata Star Festival, children would construct a temporary hut for the creature using materials collected from local households. On the fourteenth day of the seventh lunar month, the hut would be burned as a charm to kill the yokai. Any household that refused to contribute materials was targeted by the children, who chanted a curse about driving away the Ox-Hit Man and threw a burnt eggplant at the house along with the hut. It was believed that a household struck by the eggplant would lose its cattle and horses within three days. Through this strange ritual, villagers sought to drive away the creature and protect their animals from its deadly attacks.

Sources

“牛打坊 (Ushiuchibō).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1079440823.html

Jami

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: 邪魅
Category: Forest Dweller

The Myth

Jami is a wicked supernatural creature depicted as a beast with an indistinct lower body. It is described as a type of Chimi, a demon associated with the mysterious forces of mountains and forests. Its appearance is strange and difficult to define, reflecting its connection to the dangerous and unpredictable powers of the natural world. Jami is considered malevolent, a demon with an evil nature that brings harm to those who encounter it.

Jami is associated with Chimi and Moryo, supernatural beings connected to mountains, rivers, trees, and stones. Together, these spirits represent the many strange creatures and transformations that inhabit the natural world. Jami belongs to this broader family of nature demons, but it is distinguished by its wicked disposition and its unusual beast-like form.

Some later depictions portray Jami as a possessing spirit capable of taking control of people, particularly those who have incurred the anger of others. Other accounts describe it as a large boar that can bewitch its victims, controlling their minds and forcing them to do its bidding. In these tales, Jami may appear as a beautiful woman when it wishes to deceive someone, concealing its monstrous nature behind an attractive appearance. Its true form, however, is that of a fearsome beast, and those who fall under its influence risk losing control of their own actions.

Sources

“邪魅 [じゃみ] (Jami).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). August 1, 2019. https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1074589119.html