Tag Archives: yokai

Ohaguro Bettari: The Blackened Teeth Yokai

Arkane Curiosities

You are walking alone, late at night. You see a pretty girl from behind. But when she turns, the girl has no face. Only a smile filled with blackened teeth. This is the frightening yokai called Ohaguro Bettari.

Tradition of Blackened Teeth

The name “Ohaguro” refers to the practice of dyeing one’s teeth black, which was popular in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). The process of dyeing teeth black involved applying a special mixture of vinegar, iron filings, and other ingredients to the teeth. The mixture would turn the teeth black over time, and the process needed to be repeated every few days to maintain the color. 

The custom was also associated with the idea of “mibae,” which means “to show one’s maturity.” Married women who did not dye their teeth black were considered immature and not yet ready for marriage.

Suddenly a Smile

The tradition of “Ohaguro” explains the black teeth and “Bettari” means “appearing suddenly” or “appearing out of nowhere.” This yokai will be drawn to anyone walking alone at night. 

The creature takes the form of a beautiful young woman wearing a kimono. She hides her face and asks the person if she looks beautiful. If the person says no, she will disappear. If the person says yes, she will follow them for the rest of the night. 

A closer look reveals a shocking creature. The Ohaguro Bettari has no facial features, save its smile — a mouth filled with black teeth. She will laugh at your fear and surprise (and this is perhaps the reason for the yokai’s trickery). 

The lesson here: stay clear of pretty woman late at night.

Tim Kane

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The Kyorinrin: Words Given Life

Arkane Curiosities

Writers, how many times have you started a new story or novel, only to jump ship for a new, shinier idea? Well, your written work might have some feelings about being abandoned. The Kyorinrin is literally words given life.

An Animated Spirit

In Japan, the tradition of the tsukumogami yokai allows tools and objects to acquire a spirit. Common examples of objects that can become tsukumogami include tools such as umbrellas, sandals, or teapots, as well as household items like lamps or futons. Once the object becomes a tsukumogami, it gains the ability to move and act on its own, often with mischievous or malevolent intent.

In Japanese folklore, tsukumogami are often depicted as small, furry creatures with big eyes and mischievous personalities. They are said to appear on the night of Setsubun, the day before the start of spring, and cause chaos and mischief in homes and businesses. However, some tsukumogami are more benevolent and may even bring good luck to those who keep them in their homes.

Forgotten Writing

The Kyōrinrin is a special type of tsukumogami formed when a scroll or book has lain forgotten for many years. After gathering a layer of dust, the writing gains a spirit. The Kyōrinrin decorate themselves with extravagant kimonos and ornate details, perhaps because they want to be noticed by their creator. They also develop bird-like qualities: beaks and long expandable wings. 

The Kyōrinrin shake off their dust and seek out their owners who have forgotten them. They only want to spread their knowledge and if it has to be by force, then so be it. 

So before your own writing grabs you by the throat and forces you to read it, perhaps you should dust off your own forgotten treasures and take a peek.

Tim Kane

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Shirime: the Eyeball Butt Yokai

Arkane Curiosities

To the Western mind, images of ghosts and the supernatural conjures up amorphous spirits or tall creepy slender men. But in Japan, the supernatural takes a hilarious and often creepy twist. The word Yokai can be translated as monster, demon, spirit, or goblin and the come in many strange and bizarre forms. Yet, perhaps none more peculiar than the Shirime or eyeball butt yokai.

It’s Looking at You

The word “shirime” translates literally to “butt eye” but it also has the meaning of a “backward glance”, which is quite literal to how this yokai looks at you. The shirime has the body of a man or woman, but instead of a face, it has a single large eyeball where its butthole should be. Other meanings for “shirime” have qualities of distress, which seems to be the motivation for this prankster creature. 

A Supernatural Flasher

The shirime approaches you looking, in all respects, like a normal person. It wears a kimono and asks you for a moment to spare. Once it has your attention, the kimono drops away. You see that this person has no facial features. It bends over, spreading its butt cheeks, to reveal a single eyeball, shining like lightning. 

And that’s it. It doesn’t do anything else to you. Shock seems to be this creature’s only purpose. 

Origin

Little is known about this yokai. A Japanese poet, Yosa no Buson, wrote the first and only encounter with this supernatural being. Some believe that shirime’s true form is just an animal, shapeshifting into a disturbing form in order to play a practical joke on us humans.

Tim Kane

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Ashiarai Yashiki: Giant Ghostly Foot

Arkane Curiosities

Sometimes ghosts are missing body parts. Headless specters abound (looking at you Nearly-Headless Nick). There are even ghosts with several arms or legs. Yet in Japan, we have a ghost who is only a foot. A giant ghostly foot that desires you to clean it — the Ashiarai Yashiki.

Nocturnal Foot Washing

The Ashiarai Yashiki appeared suddenly in front of the door of a house. The occupants heard a booming voice shout out:

“WAAAASH MY FOOOOT!”

The ceiling splintered as a gigantic foot smashed though. This massive foot was covered in bristly thick hair and terribly filthy.

If the people refused to wash the foot, the yokai would stomp around, causing earthquakes and other natural disasters until its demands were met.

A Deceased Merchant

According to some variations of the legend, the Ashiarai Yashiki is actually the spirit of a wealthy merchant who was so obsessed with cleanliness, he would force his servants to wash his feet every night. When he died, his spirit was unable to rest and took on the form of the giant foot, continuing to demand that people wash it.

Maybe You’re Guilty of Something

The Ashiarai Yashiki could also be a play on words. In ancient times, “to wash one’s feet” meant to be cleared of crimes and allegations. This would suggest that a visitation by the Ashiarai Yashiki meant the occupant was guilty of some crime. The yokai came to punish the criminal for their misdeeds. 

Tim Kane

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