くちさけおんな

I pickedくちさけおんな (Kuchisake onna, also known as the Slit-Mouthed Woman) to research (because why not). Ever since I was 9 (I THINK), I had this small urban legend phase, so I’d watch these little videos on YouTube about random ghosts and spirits, fully aware of what they were about. And that’s how I first found out about her. Ever since then, she was one of the only yokai that I ended up remembering, and that’s why I knew right away that I wanted to pick her.

Kuchisake onna is the ghost of a mangled woman. She wishes to ‘wreck vengeance on the world’ after what had happened to her when she was alive. Her face is slit from ear to ear in a bloody smile (hence her name), and she often hides it with a mask, a fan, or some type of cloth or handkerchief. She will appear during the night, catching the attention of those who would travel alone during the night. (She’s also fond of hard candy.)

Kuchisake onna is known for sneaking up on her victims and asking them (while covering her face first, of course) if they think she’s beautiful. If her victim says yes, she will take off her mask, revealing her slit, bloody mouth. Then, she will ask if she’s beautiful again. If her victim says no or screams out of fear, she slashes his face from ear to ear to match her own. If the victim lies and says yes again, then she leaves him alone… not. She follows him home and brutally murders him in the night. (Real family-friendly.)

Yes, I think that Japanese Yokai differ from western monsters and mythological creatures, but to some extent. While there are some differences, there are also some similarities when it comes to ghosts, spirits, and demons. Some have the same idea, that being haunting or wreaking vengeance on the world, while others differ entirely (like some yokai that bring good fortune to households, etc.) I can’t say this for certain, because I actually don’t know that much about that many western creatures, but that’s the idea that I’m getting.

For now, I’m going to say I don’t. Why? Simply because I haven’t actually seen one for myself. I’d see them as I would see a story, if that makes any sense. If I do happen to stumble across one somehow, or someone or something manages to change my mind, then maybe I might believe in the future. But for now, I can’t say I do.