[From August Issue 2013]

When summer comes around in Japan, many movies and TV programs related to “obake” (monsters or ghosts) are released. In addition, haunted house events are held in amusement parks. It’s said that this is because people feel a chill when they see something scary. Another word for “obake” is “bakemono” and these words are used to signify something dreadful that is not of this world.

Generally speaking, obake are divided into two categories: yuurei (ghosts) and youkai (specters or goblins). It is said that the souls of people who have died with unfinished business to complete, remain in this world and appear as yuurei. One traditional image of a Japanese yuurei is a legless woman in a white kimono. She has a pale face and long hair; to show she is dead she has a white triangular piece of cloth tied to her forehead with a cord. With both arms held out and her fingers pointing downwards. She mutters “urameshiya” (I have a grudge).

Making her debut in the Edo period (17th – 19th centuries) ghost story “Yotsuya Kaidan,” the most famous yuurei is “Oiwa.” In the story, which has been performed as a kabuki play, Oiwa dies after being poisoned; in order to take revenge on the husband that betrayed her, she turns into a ghost with a horrific face. Another famous ghost is “Okiku,” a maid who appears in the story “Banchou Sara Yashiki.” Blamed for losing a plate, she is killed. The reason many ghosts are female seems to be a reflection of the times when many women were abused and died bearing a grudge.

Youkai are generally human beings or animals that have been possessed by some kind of spirit which transforms them into a strange shape. When speaking of traditional youkai, the “hitotsu me kozou” (one eyed boy) or “rokuro kubi” (long-necked woman) come to mind. However, because of the influence of the popular youkai manga “Gegege-no-Kitarou,” people nowadays fondly think of youkai as being amusing characters. Sakaiminato City in Tottori Prefecture, which is the home-town of creator MIZUKI Shigeru, has created various youkai sightseeing spots to promote tourism.

Adapted into movies, youkai legends still exist in modern times. In 1979 the “Slit-Mouthed Woman” became a social phenomenon. The story goes that a young woman with a mask over her mouth asks children, “Am I beautiful?” When they answer, “Yes, you’re beautiful,” she takes off the mask. As she does so, her mouth appears slashed open up to her ears. Another famous one is “Hanako in the toilet,” in which the ghost of a girl appears in a school toilet.

Lovable Youkai and Shape-Changing Animals

“Tengu” are legendary creatures which have a red face, a long-nose, and wings with which they can fly. Tengu are worshiped as mountain deities. In ancient times villagers feared them, believing that tengu were responsible for mysterious phenomenon in the village. “Kappa” are youkai who live in rivers and ponds. As tall as a child, they have something that looks like a plate on top of their heads. Kappa are cute and, being gods of water, are loved by Japanese.

“Zashiki warashi” (household deities), are spirits of the dead who reside in the tatami room (room with straw matting) of a house. It’s said that they play tricks on family members, but that fortune will fall on those who see them.

On the other hand, it is known that in the old days in Japan foxes or raccoon dogs, took human form, tricked humans, or possessed them. Phrases such as “a bewitching encounter with a fox and a raccoon dog,” are sometimes used in business negotiations. Even cats are sometimes treated as youkai.

[2013年8月号掲載記事]

日本では夏になると「お化け」の映画やテレビ番組が増えます。また、お化け屋敷のイベントも遊園地などに設けられます。これは、怖いものを見るとぞっとして寒く感じるからというのが理由のようです。「お化け」は「化け物」とも呼ばれ、この世に存在しない恐ろしい物体を表現する言葉として使われます。

お化けは一般的に幽霊と妖怪に分けられます。幽霊は生前に思いを残したまま亡くなった人の魂がこの世に残り、現れるといわれています。日本の伝統的な幽霊のイメージは白い着物を着た女性で、足がありません。顔は青白く、髪は長く、額には死者を表す白い三角形の布を紐で巻いています。両腕を前に出し指先を下に向けたポーズで、「うらめしや」とつぶやきます。

江戸時代（17～19世紀）に作られた「四谷怪談」に登場する「お岩」は、最も有名な幽霊です。毒を飲まされて死んだお岩がみにくい顔の幽霊となって裏切った夫に復讐する物語で、歌舞伎でも演じられます。また、皿を失くした罪として殺されてしまう「番町皿屋敷」の女中「お菊」も有名です。幽霊に女性が多いのは、しいたげられ、怨みを持ちながら亡くなる女性が多かった時代の反映と思われます。

妖怪は一般的に人間や動物に何かの霊がとりつき、異常な姿になったものを指します。古典的な妖怪といえば、「一つ目小僧」や「ろくろ首」です。しかし、大人気の妖怪まんが「ゲゲゲの鬼太郎」の影響もあり、現代では妖怪はゆかいなキャラクターとして親しまれる存在になりました。作者、水木しげるの故郷、鳥取県境港市は、「妖怪のまち」として、さまざまな妖怪スポットを観光の目玉にしています。

妖怪伝説は現代も存在し、映画化されています。1979年には「口裂け女」が社会現象となりました。マスクをした若い女性が子どもに「私、きれい？」とたずね、「きれい」と答えるとマスクを外します。するとその口は耳元まで大きく裂けていたというものです。また、学校のトイレに少女の霊がいるという「トイレの花子さん」も有名です。

愛される妖怪、化ける動物

「天狗」は赤ら顔で鼻が高く、翼を持ち空中を飛ぶといわれる伝説の妖怪で、山の神としてあがめられています。かつて村人は山で起きる怪奇現象を天狗の仕業と恐れました。「河童」は川や沼に住むといわれる妖怪です。子どもぐらいの大きさで、頭に皿のようなものがあります。河童は愛嬌があり、水の神として日本人にとても親しまれています。

「座敷童子」は座敷に住むと言われる精霊のような存在です。家の人にいたずらをしますが、見た人には幸運が訪れるという言い伝えがあります。

一方、日本では昔から、化ける、人を化かす、人にとりつく動物としてキツネとタヌキが知られています。ビジネスの交渉などでは「キツネとタヌキの化かしあい」という言葉が使われることもあります。猫も妖怪として扱われることがあります。