POST#6: Urban Legends: Japanese Urban Legends

Rokurokubi

Japan is also known for having numerous of Urban Legends and Myths; however, most of them were likely about terrifying stories. One of the popular is Kuchisake Onna, also known as Slit-Mouth Woman which she has a slit mouth that extends from ear to ear and will ask certain questions and the victim must answer her question wisely, or the victim will die. Also The Long Neck Woman or Rokurokubi, a Japanese Urban Legend about a female who looks and lives like a human, but at night, her neck will stretch and will move around independently.

On the other hand, while searching for an introduction about Japanese Urban Legends, I happen to find an article about it, named “Introduction to the Japanese Folklore.”

Freddy Yep; the writer, stated that Japan has so many folklore that is heavily influenced by Buddhism and Shinto, the two primary religions in the country and it often involves humorous or bizarre characters and situations and also includes assorted supernatural beings such as Kami (gods and revered spirits), Yokai (monster-spirits), Yurei (ghosts), and animals with powers such as Kitsune (fox), Tanuki (raccoon dog), Bakeneko (transforming cat), and there are also sacred or possessed objects. Though, there are some stories that are handed down from generations to generations that have a basis of a little fiction and superstition thrown over time.

Different kinds of Yokai

He said that Japanese folklore is divided into several categories:

• Mukashibanashi (tales of long ago)

• Namidabanashi (sad stories)

• Obakebanashi (ghost stories)

• Ongaeshibanashi (stories of repaying kindness)

• Tonchibanashi (witty stories)

• Waraibanashi (funny stories)

• Yokubaribanashi (stories of greed)

And it also encompasses Yukar, or Ainu folktales.

The folklore of Japan has been influenced by foreign literature and as well as the kind of spirit worship that has spread throughout the prehistoric Asia. Some stories of ancient India shaped the Japanese stories by providing them materials because Indian materials were greatly modified and adapted in such a way that would appeal the common people of Japan in general and get transmitted to China and Korea.

Freddy also stated some well-known Japanese folktales and legends:

• The story of Kintaro; the Superhuman Golden Boy

• The story of Momotaro; the oni-slaying Peach Boy

• The story of Urashima Taro; who rescued a turtle and visited the bottom of the sea

• The story of Issun-boshi; the One-inch Boy

•  The story of Tokoyo; a girl who reclaimed the honor of her samurai father

• Bunbuku Chagama; the story of a teakettle which is actually a shape-changing tanuki

• Tamamo-no-Mae; the story of wicked fox-woman

• Shita-kiri Suzume; the story of the tongue-cut sparrow

• The story of vengeful Kiyohime; who became a dragon

• Bancho Sarayashiki; the ghost story of Okiku and the Nine Plates

• Yotsuya Kaidan; the ghost story of Oiwa

• Hanasaka Jii-san; the story of the old man that made the flowers bloom

• Taketori Monogatari; the tale of the Bamboo Cutter; about a mysterious girl called Kaguya-hime who is said to be from the capital of the moon

• Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari; the tale of the Gallant Jiraiya

For the fact that most of the Japanese Urban Legends that were acknowledge were all terrifying, there are still several Japanese Urban Legends that belong in different kinds of categories. That is why regardless about the story of a certain legend; they never fail to entertain people.