Japanese Mythology

Enkirigumo

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Relationship-Severing Spider
Category: Spider

The Myth

The Enkirigumo is a giant spider yōkai associated with the forests at the foot of Mount Katsuragi in Nara Prefecture. It was believed to descend from the ancient giant spider of Katsuragi and lived for generations within a woodland known as Spider Forest.

At night, the Enkirigumo did not always appear in its true form. Instead, it transformed into a glowing orb the size of a lantern, drifting silently through the trees as it searched the forest.

During the Meiji period, the forest was cut down to provide timber for the reconstruction of Honganji Temple, destroying the spider’s home. Homeless, the Enkirigumo began wandering into the nearby village every night, floating through the darkness around houses that still had large trees.

The villagers became terrified of the mysterious glowing apparition and stopped leaving their homes after sunset. Young couples could no longer meet secretly beneath the cover of night, and romances quietly came to an end.

Because its nightly appearances unintentionally separated lovers and prevented relationships from forming, the creature became known as the Enkirigumo—the Spider That Severs Relationships.

Sources

TYZ. (n.d.). Enkirigumo [縁切蜘蛛]. In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654031.html

Ushioni

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Gyūki, Goki
Category: Spider, Cow

The Myth

The Ushioni is a terrifying yōkai that usually appears as a monstrous ox-like creature, although its appearance varies greatly between regions. Some traditions describe it as a giant ox, while others portray it with the face of an oni and the body of a huge spider, or as a two-legged beast with wing-like membranes. It is a violent predator feared for attacking both humans and animals.

The Ushioni is most commonly associated with dangerous places near water, including deep pools, rivers, waterfalls, marshes, and the seashore. Numerous locations throughout Japan bear names such as Ushioni Pool or Ushioni Waterfall, reflecting the belief that these monsters once haunted them.

Along the coasts of western Japan, the Ushioni often works together with other sea yōkai such as the Nure-onna and Iso-onna. It may first appear as a beautiful woman carrying a baby and ask a traveler to hold the child. As soon as the victim accepts, the infant becomes impossibly heavy, making escape impossible before the Ushioni reveals itself and attacks.

In the mountains of the Kumano region, the Ushioni was believed to kill without even touching its victims. It simply stared relentlessly at anyone it encountered until they gradually weakened, collapsed, and died. This mysterious affliction was known as having one’s shadow swallowed. People believed the only protection was to recite the strange charm: “Stones flow, leaves sink, cows neigh, and horses roar.”

Another tradition from Izumo says that during long periods of rain, a mysterious white light could cling to a person’s body. This phenomenon was called meeting a Ushioni and was believed to disappear only when exposed to fire.

One famous legend tells of an Ushioni that terrorized the region around Negoro-ji Temple in Kagawa Prefecture, killing people and livestock until it was finally slain by the master archer Yamada Kurōdo Takakiyo. The temple is said to preserve the monster’s horns as proof of its existence.

Across Japan, the Ushioni is remembered as one of the country’s most feared monsters—a savage ox demon that haunts lonely waters, deceives travelers, and brings death to anyone unfortunate enough to meet its gaze.

Sources

TYZ. (n.d.). Ushi Oni [牛鬼]. In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010653546.html

Tsuchigumo

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Yamagumo, Ōgumo, Yatsukahagi
Category: Spider

The Myth

The Tsuchigumo is a colossal spider yōkai that dwells in mountains, caves, abandoned mansions, and underground lairs. It is a master of illusion, capable of taking human form, disguising itself as monks, women, or other beings to lure victims into its webs before revealing its monstrous true form.

Although later folklore depicts it as a supernatural spider, the name originally referred to rebellious clans that resisted the early Yamato court. During the medieval period these figures gradually transformed into the giant spider monsters of Japanese legend.

The most famous legend tells of the warrior Minamoto no Yorimitsu, who was suffering from a mysterious illness when a towering monk entered his room at night and attempted to bind him with ropes. Yorimitsu slashed the stranger with his sword, causing the figure to flee while leaving behind a trail of blood. Following the trail with his retainers, he discovered a gigantic spider hidden inside a cave and killed it. His sword thereafter became known as Spider-Cutter.

Another famous version tells how Yorimitsu and his companion entered a ruined mansion after following a floating human skull. There they were attacked by strange monsters before a beautiful woman appeared to deceive them. When Yorimitsu wounded her, she fled, leaving a trail of white blood that led into a mountain cave. Inside they found the Tsuchigumo in its true form—a gigantic spider said to be nearly sixty meters long. After a fierce battle they slew the monster, and when its swollen body was cut open, nearly two thousand human skulls spilled from its abdomen, along with countless smaller spiders.

The Tsuchigumo became one of Japan’s most famous spider yōkai, remembered as a monstrous cave-dwelling predator whose greatest weapon was deception, using illusions and shapeshifting before trapping its victims in its immense webs.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Tsuchigumo. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuchigumo

Spider Son

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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

Ashidakagumo-Henge

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Ashidakagumo-Henge
Category: Spider

The Myth

The Ashidakagumo-Henge is an aged giant spider that gains the power to transform into a human. Unlike the seductive Jorōgumo, it often appears as an eerie elderly woman whose unnatural presence brings fear and madness.

One tale tells of a man from a mountain village who went out for an evening walk beneath the moon. High in the fork of a great chestnut tree he saw an old woman with tangled hair, blackened teeth, and a disturbing smile staring directly at him. Terrified, he hurried home.

After returning, he fell into an uneasy sleep. The old woman repeatedly appeared in his dreams until, bathed in moonlight, she stood outside his house exactly as she had appeared in the tree. Grabbing his sword, the man prepared himself as the woman slowly opened the sliding door and stepped inside.

As soon as she entered, he struck her across the body with a single powerful slash. The monster staggered from the blow, but before he could strike again the man lost consciousness.

When he awoke, neighbors had gathered after hearing his scream. The mysterious old woman had vanished. Inside the house there was no trace of her except for the severed legs of an enormous spider lying on the floor.

The story concludes that even ordinary spiders, after living long enough, can acquire supernatural power and transform into terrifying human-like beings.

Sources

TYZ. (n.d.). Ashidakagumo-Henge [足高蜘蛛変化]. In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654434.html

Jorōgumo

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Jorōgumo, Jorō Kumo
Category: Spider

The Myth

The Jorōgumo is a supernatural spider that can transform into a beautiful woman to deceive and ensnare humans. It is one of Japan’s most famous spider yōkai and is often associated with lonely houses, forests, waterfalls, and secluded places. Some traditions identify the guardian of Jōren Falls on Mount Amagi as a Jorōgumo.

In its true form, the Jorōgumo is an enormous spider capable of spinning vast webs. It can disguise itself as an elegant young woman, or sometimes an older woman, using beauty, charm, and conversation to lure unsuspecting victims into its trap.

One famous tale tells of a wealthy samurai named Sonroku, who spent his summer afternoons resting at a secluded villa. One day an elderly woman appeared and claimed that her beautiful daughter had fallen deeply in love with him after hearing one of his poems. She led him to a magnificent mansion where the daughter, a stunning young noblewoman dressed in colorful silk, begged him to stay with her forever.

Although captivated by her beauty, Sonroku refused because he was already married. As the mysterious woman desperately clung to him, the entire mansion suddenly vanished. He found himself back on the veranda where he had fallen asleep only moments earlier.

Looking around, Sonroku noticed a small female spider walking nearby while countless spiders covered the eaves with webs. He then remembered chasing away a spider with his pipe a few days before, just as the old woman in the vision had claimed her mother had been driven away with a pipe. Realizing the entire encounter had been the work of the spider spirit, he ordered every web removed, and the strange visitations never returned.

The Jorōgumo is remembered as a dangerous shapeshifter that uses beauty, illusion, and desire rather than brute force, patiently weaving both webs and deception to capture its victims.

Sources

TYZ. (n.d.). Jorōgumo [絡新婦]. In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654252.html

Kakehashi

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Kakehashi (掛橋)
Category: Ghost

The Myth

Kakehashi is a tragic woman whose jealousy, betrayal, and violent death transformed her into a fearsome onryō, a vengeful spirit. After being beheaded, her severed head became a supernatural apparition with blazing eyes and flames pouring from its mouth, relentlessly haunting the man who had deceived and murdered her.

According to the Edo-period illustrated novel Baika Hyōretsu (“Plum Blossom Ice Split”), Kakehashi was the wife of the samurai Karakoto Uraemon. While he was away, the villain Mino Bunta manipulated her into believing her husband had betrayed her. Falling under his influence, she abandoned Uraemon and cruelly murdered his pregnant concubine, Mo no Hana, along with her unborn child.

After fleeing with Mino Bunta, the pair lost everything and survived by robbing travelers, with Kakehashi disguised as a terrifying Snow Woman. Soon afterward she was struck by a horrific supernatural curse. Haunted by nightmares of goldfish devouring her body, she developed grotesque sores, rotting flesh, unbearable thirst, and an unknown disease. During her delirium she unknowingly confessed her crimes while speaking with the voice of Mo no Hana’s vengeful spirit.

Eventually Kakehashi found Mino Bunta living in luxury with other women. When she confronted him, he admitted that he had never loved her—his entire relationship had been a scheme to steal the wealth of her family. Realizing she had betrayed her husband and murdered an innocent woman for nothing, she was overwhelmed with rage and regret.

Mino Bunta mocked her, tortured her, and finally beheaded her. At the moment of her death, darkness engulfed the mountain as her severed head flew into the sky, its eyes burning and flames erupting from its mouth. From that day onward, her ghost relentlessly pursued Mino Bunta, driving him toward madness and misfortune until he was finally killed.

The story ultimately portrays Kakehashi as both victim and villain. Although responsible for terrible crimes, she herself became the victim of deception, and after death joined forces with the spirit of Mo no Hana to ensure that Mino Bunta ultimately suffered the consequences of his own evil.

Sources

TYZ. (n.d.). Kakehashi [掛橋]. In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 27, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1037179730.html

Noderabō

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Noderabo
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Noderabō appears as a silent monk dressed in worn, tattered robes and a weathered kasa hat. It is most often depicted standing alone beside an old temple bell in an abandoned, crumbling temple. Though outwardly resembling an ordinary Buddhist monk, it is an eerie and unnatural figure whose true face and intentions remain unknown.

The Noderabō is one of the more mysterious yōkai depicted by Toriyama Sekien in the Gazu Hyakki Yagyō. Sekien provided no explanation for the creature, leaving later generations to speculate about its nature.

According to later folklore, the Noderabō haunts deserted temples that have fallen into ruin. As evening falls, the lonely sound of a temple bell echoes through the mountains despite no living monk remaining to ring it. The ghostly monk is said to wander the abandoned grounds in silence, appearing only briefly before disappearing once more into the darkness.

Some traditions claim the Noderabō is the restless spirit of a head priest whose temple fell into decay after the villagers ceased making offerings. Unable to abandon the place he once served, he continues to watch over the empty temple and ring its bell forever.

Other interpretations suggest the Noderabō represents corrupt monks who abandoned Buddhist discipline through greed and worldly desires, eventually becoming yōkai after death. In this reading, the silent monk serves as a warning against spiritual corruption and attachment.

Another tradition connects the Noderabō with mysterious bells heard echoing from mountains where no temple exists. Children who heard these unexplained chimes were told that the Noderabō was ringing its lonely bell deep within the wilderness, although others believed the sounds were merely echoes carried by the mountains.

Because Sekien never explained the creature, its true origin remains uncertain. Whether it is the ghost of a forgotten priest, the embodiment of an abandoned temple, or simply an eerie guardian of sacred ruins, the Noderabō remains one of Japan’s most enigmatic yōkai—a solitary monk forever standing beside the bell of a temple that time has long since forgotten.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Noderabō. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 21, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noderab%C5%8D

Hone-onna

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Boneless Woman, Jellyfish Woman
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Hone-onna, or Boneless Woman, is a strange ghost said to originate from Habayama Mountain in Shioe. According to tradition, she was once a jellyfish that lived for so long that it transformed into a woman, though one without any bones.

The creature is associated with death and mourning. Whenever someone dies, the Hone-onna is said to visit the house of the deceased. Night after night, she appears in the garden, clinging to the branches of trees.

There she plays by herself and laughs, seemingly unaware of the living around her. Her eerie laughter echoes through the darkness while she sways among the trees, returning again and again to places touched by death.

Unlike many violent spirits, the Hone-onna is not known for attacking people. Instead, she is remembered as a strange and unsettling apparition—a boneless woman who arrives whenever death enters a household and spends the night laughing alone among the garden trees.

Sources

TYZ. (n.d.). Hone-Onna [骨女]. In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 20, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654275.html

Goninzowai

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Five-Men Shoal, Goninzowai
Category: Ghost

The Myth

Goninzowai is the name given to the restless spirits of five blind men who perished on a lonely shoal near Uno Port. Their ghosts are said to haunt the sea and can still be heard on dark and rainy nights.

According to tradition, five wealthy blind men arrived in Bingo Province while traveling to the capital to receive the rank of Kengyō, the highest title granted to blind people. A boatman offered to take them to Osaka and they gladly boarded his vessel.

As evening approached, the boatman told them that he needed to empty water from the ship and asked them to wait on a small rocky island. Trusting him, the five men disembarked and sat peacefully listening to the sound of the waves.

But the boat never returned.

When they realized they had been abandoned, they called desperately for the boatman. No answer came. The tide slowly rose around them. Clinging to one another so that they would not be separated, the five men cried for help, but no vessel passed by. Eventually the sea swallowed them, and they drowned together.

From that time onward, fishermen avoided the area. On rainy nights voices, sobbing, and cries are said to rise from beneath the water. Strange balls of fire sometimes appear above the rocks, circling through the darkness.

The place became known as Goninzowai, meaning “Five-Men Shoal.” The name refers to the small reef that disappears beneath the sea at high tide. One story claims that a diver once descended there and found countless human bones piled among the submerged rocks.

Another version says that one of the blind men managed to wash ashore and was rescued by villagers. In gratitude and sorrow, he later traveled to Mount Kōya and erected a tomb for his four companions, praying for the peace of their souls.

Yet even today, the voices of the dead are said to remain beneath the waves, and the haunted shoal of Goninzowai is remembered as the resting place of the five blind men betrayed by the sea.

Sources

TYZ. (n.d.). Goninzowai [五人増悪]. In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 20, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654266.html