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The Japanese Ghost thread

fixelbrumpf

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I've become quite fond of the odd ghosts and spirits that frequently occur in Japanese ghost stories. Here are a few:


トイレの花子 Toire no Hanako, the toilet-dwelling girl ghost
人面犬 Jinmenken, the human-faced dog
口さけ女 Kuchisake onna: an elderly woman whose mouth is equipped with a zipper (I think)
なまはけ Namahake: a ghost who seems to earn a living punishing naughty children

That's all I can think of right now, what are your favourite ghosts? Two bonus questions: does anyone know how to write Namahake in kanji, and what are those living umbrellas with a single eyeball called again? I keep on forgetting their name.

I'd love to post more pictures, but Google has failed me so far. I might scan a few once I've found my "Gakkou no kaidan" manga.

 
Konnichiwa Fixelbrumpf-san!

That's all I can think of right now, what are your favourite ghosts? Two bonus questions: does anyone know how to write Namahake in kanji, and what are those living umbrellas with a single eyeball called again? I keep on forgetting their name.
Click to expand...

1. Namahage is "生剥" in Kanji, but usually Japanese write "ナマハゲ" or "なまはげ". "Nama" is originally "なもみ". "Namomi" means "burned speckle". What is "burned speckle"? Namahage's hometown is an area of heavy snowfall. Stove is the necessities of life. But if you warm yourself at a stove long time, you will get speckle on your arms or legs by reason of sparks of fire(Because Japanese old Stove has not chimney). Namahage hate an idle fellow who warm hisself/herself at a stove long time. Namahage skin(tear off) idler's speckle with his/her skin. "skin(tear off)" is "剥ぐ(Hagu)" in Japanese. "Namahage" is "Namomihagi" originally.

2. Living umbrellas with a single eyeball is "Kasa Obake", or "Karakasa Kozou" or "Kasa Kozou". "Kasa" is umbrella, "Obake" is spook, "Kozou" is child.

I like Zashikiwarashi. She is a goddess of luck!

http://www.fsinet.or.jp/~eohashi/c/o/obake-e.htm

NANGI
 
I'm better at Japanese demons. I'm interested in mithalogy, ghost stories or other suck of many coltures. so in a way we share interests. the Yuki-ona (woman of the snow) is my favoret. the Ketsune & Tengu (sp?) are also to that I'm fond of. the oni can just die. I know of a few more but not that many. I would like to find out about more though
 
fixelbrumpf said:
トイレの花子 Toire no Hanako, the toilet-dwelling girl ghost
Click to expand...

Could you please elaborate? I have not heard of her, but she does sounds very scary....

About the other ghosts, it was interesting reading about them...it sure brought up memories from my childhood....I remember the YUKI-ONA and the ONI, which I was scared of for a long time, as my parents told me that the ONI would come if I did not go to bed on time...something like that.
 
This is interesting! I have only heard of the snow woman. It seems like Namahage is quite scary! But how is it look like? Is it a monster or some disease?? I don't quite understand how it affect people. ???

Could anyone please post more websites that feature all these Japanese ghosts??
 
I also found an old thread on this topic, which is very interesting....
click:
[thread=193]Thread on ghosts in Japan[/thread]
 
Hi all,

My Japanese wife told me that both her grandfather and grandmother had both seen a ghost of a Japanese solider in their rooms (the room with the family shrine in it). The solider was kitted out in Japanese army WW2 gear, which her grandfather recognised since he served with the army during WW2. The ghost showed up trying to say something and had blood running down its face from a wound originating in the scalp. Neither of them recognised the figure although the house was built post WW2 so it might have something to do with the previous owners of the land.

When I was last in Osaka I asked her parents about it but neither of them would give me a straight answer. I never did feel to comfortable about going into her parents room, although that could just be me and an overactive imagination.

Cheers

Lou
 
Namahage (not Namahake, eye kant read an spel ) looks like this in a video game I found:



About Hanako: apparently, they even made a movie about her. Based on what I've read, she doesn't really seem to be a particularly evil ghost, in the Gakkou no Kaidan anime, she's lonely and looking for playmates -- whatever that may mean.
A picture I saw at uni showed her wielding a bloody knife, though.
 
Konnichiwa Utsuki-san!

It seems like Namahage is quite scary! But how is it look like? Is it a monster or some disease?? I don't quite understand how it affect people. ???
Click to expand...

Namahage is not monster to put it more precisely. Namahage is a god. Namahage has a frightening looks but they don't attack people indiscriminately. Namahage attack an idler but they give honest worker their blessing.

Polytheism god has two characters, god and demon.

http://www.namahage.ne.jp/namahage/oga/oga.htm



NANGI
 
Thanks for all of the information! Saria-san, Miss Apollo7, fixelbrumpf-san and Nangi-san!!!

I think I saw it before in games too! I thought it was really scary! Hahahaaha!
 
The only ghost I ever thought I saw was in a dream, at least it might have been a dream, in chiba.
 
Bump up for Neko.

More ghost info.

Uncle Frank

 
Where is the "more" ghost info, uncle frank? :?
seems like the latest fad I've seen on potential J-ghosts is the movie Kuchisake Onna that's been out this year....
 
Just a bump up post.

We had a new member post a question about Japanese ghosts, so I bumped up this and 1 other thread for her to read. She was looking for Japanese members here to comment , but I told her they are a bit shy.

Uncle Frank

 
Hi everyone!
Everything is so interesting
Thanks for sharing!!
Any more ghost stories?

 
I've never seen any Japanes ghosts, alas, (friendly only, mochiron - naturally!!)

I have seen three or four possible-ghosts here in our haunted-hometown (village) deep in the Kentish countryside. Only one was (might have been?!?) friendly I think...

this is a subject that scares me, but also keeps me interested...I'm in two minds...

(presently) messaging (only!) online spirits
 
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