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Kuchisake-onna

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"Slit-Mouthed Woman" redirects here. For the film, seeCarved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman.
AKuchisake-onnain a scene fromEhon Sayoshigureby Hayami Shungyōsai, 1801

Kuchisake-onna(Khẩu nứt け nữ,'Slit-Mouthed Woman')[1]is a malevolent figure inJapanese urban legendsandfolklore.Described as the malicious spirit, oronryō,of a woman, she partially covers her face with a mask or other item and carries a pair of scissors, a knife, or some other sharp object. She is most often described as having long, straight, white hands, black hair, pale skin, and otherwise being considered beautiful (except for her scar). She has been described as a contemporaryyōkai.[1][2]

According to popular legend, she asks potential victims if they think she is beautiful. If they respond with "no", she will either kill them with her long medical scissors on the spot or wait until nightfall and murder them in their sleep. If they say "yes", she will reveal thatthe corners of her mouth are slit from ear to ear,and she will then repeat her question. If the individual responds with "no", she will kill them with her weapon, and if they say "yes" hesitantly she will cut the corners of their mouth in such a way that resembles her own disfigurement. Methods that can be used to survive an encounter with Kuchisake-onna include answering her question by describing her appearance as "average".[3]

The Kuchisake-onna legend has been described as dating back to the 17th to 19th centuries, during Japan'sEdo period.[1]The story experienced a resurgence of awareness in 1970s Japan, when several newspapers and magazines reported on the legend, and rumors surrounding it spread throughout the country, leading to young children being accompanied by groups of adults while walking home from school.[2][4]

The legend and its variations[edit]

Diagram of a possible conversation with Kuchisake-onna and its consequences, according to the legend.

According to legend, Kuchisake-Onna was a woman who wasmutilatedduring her life, with hermouth being slit from ear to ear.In some versions of the story, Kuchisake-Onna was theadulterouswife or a mistress of asamuraiduring her life.[5][6]She grew lonely because the samurai was always away from home fighting, and began having affairs with men around the town. When the samurai heard of this, he was outraged. As punishment for her infidelity, her husband sliced the corners of her mouth from ear to ear.[5][6]In other versions of the tale, her mouth was mutilated during a medical or dental procedure or by a woman who was jealous of her beauty; in still other versions, her mouth is filled with numerous sharp teeth.[7]

After her death, the woman returned as avengeful spirit,oronryō.As anonryō,she covers her mouth with a cloth mask (often specified as asurgical mask), or in some iterations, ahand fanor handkerchief.[1]She carries a sharp instrument with her, which has been described as a knife, a machete, a scythe, or a large pair of scissors.[7]She is also described as having supernatural speed.[8]She is said to ask potential victims if they think she is attractive, often phrased as "Watashi, kirei?"[a](which translates to "Am I pretty?" or "Am I beautiful?" ).[1]If the person answers "no", she will kill them with her weapon, and if the person answers "yes", she will reveal her mutilated mouth. She then repeats her question (or asks "Kore demo?", which translates to "Even with this?" or "Even now?" ) and if the person responds with "no" or screams in fright, she will kill the person with her weapon.[1]If the response is "yes", she will slice the corners of the person's mouth from ear to ear, resembling her own disfigurement.[1][9]

An individual can survive an encounter with Kuchisake-onna by using one of several methods. In some versions of the legend, Kuchisake-onna will leave the potential victim alone if they answer "yes" to both of her questions, though in other versions, she will visit the individual's residence later that night and murder the person while sleeping.[1][2]Another tactic is to say that the individual is running late and she will simply bow and apologize, allowing the individual to pass. Other survival tactics include replying to Kuchisake-onna's question by describing her appearance as "average", giving the individual enough time to run away;[2][7]distracting her by giving or throwing money orhard candies(particularly the kind of candy known asbekko ame[ja],made of caramelised sugar) in her direction, as she will stop to pick them up;[1][2][10]or by saying the word "pomade"three times.[2][11]

History[edit]

Author andfolkloristMatthew Meyer has described the Kuchisake-onna legend as having roots dating back to Japan'sEdo period,which spanned from the 17th to 19th centuries[1]but Japanese literature professor Iikura Yoshiyuki believes it dates from the 1970s.[3]

In print, the legend of Kuchisake-onna dates back to at least as early as 1979. The legend was reported in such publications as theGifu PrefecturenewspaperGifu Nichi Nichi Shinbunon 26 January 1979, the weekly publicationShukan Asahion 23 March 1979, and the weekly news magazineShukan Shinchoon 5 April 1979.[12]Rumors about Kuchisake-onna spread throughout Japan, which led to young children sometimes being accompanied by members ofparent–teacher associationgroups while walking home from school.[2][4]

Historian andmangaauthorShigeru Mizukiconsidered Kuchisake-onna to be an example of ayōkai,a term which can refer to a variety of supernatural monsters, spirits, and demons in Japanese folklore.[13]According toZack Davisson,a translator of many of Mizuki's works, "When Mizuki put her in one of his newest yokai encyclopedias, that's when she was officially considered a yokai."[13]

In popular culture[edit]

Kuchisake-onna has appeared in live-action films, as well as in manga,anime,andvideo games.The character appears in the 1994 animated filmPom Poko,produced byStudio Ghibli,[14]and later appears in the 1996 live-actionshort filmKuchisake-onna,directed byTeruyoshi Ishii.[14]She is also mentioned in the 1998 filmRing,directed byHideo Nakata.[14]In 2007, the filmCarved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman(also known under the titlesKuchisake-onnaorA Slit-Mouthed Woman), directed byKōji Shiraishiand featuringMiki Mizunoas Kuchisake-onna, was released.[6][15]The film was followed byCarved 2: The Scissors Massacre(also known asKuchisake-onna 2)[16]andThe Slit-Mouthed Woman 0: The Beginning(orKuchisake-onna 0: Biginingu), both of which were released in 2008.[17]The Kuchisake-onna character later appeared in the 2012 filmKuchisake-onna Returns,[18]as well as in thewebcomicMob Psycho 100.[19]Kuchisake-onna is the female main character of the mangaEven If You Slit My Mouthby Akari Kajimoto. Additionally, the character is featured inJujutsu Kaisen.[20]

Kuchisake-onna was also the basis for a character that appears in "Danse Vaudou", an episode of the American television seriesConstantine.[21][22]

An enemy calledScissor Woman,inspired by Kuchisake-onna appears in the video gameWorld of Horror.[23]

Kuchisake-onna also appears as a moderately strong enemy in the gameGhostwire: Tokyo.She has two different forms: in the first one she has a long white coat, a large white hat and is wearing a surgical mask.[24]In her second form, her coat turns to red and she drops both the hat and the mask, revealing her slit mouth.[25]In both forms she uses a long pair of scissors to attack the player.

See also[edit]

  • Bloody Mary,an urban legend about a demonic apparition who appears in mirrors
  • Glasgow smile
  • Japanese urban legends,enduring modern Japanese folktales
  • La Llorona,the ghost of a woman in Latin American folklore
  • Madam Koi Koi,an African urban legend about the ghost of a dead teacher
  • Ouni,a Japaneseyōkaiwith a face like that of a demon woman (kijo) torn from mouth to ear
  • Teke Teke,a Japanese urban legend about the spirit of a girl with no legs

Notes[edit]

  1. ^The word "kirei" is ahomophonefor "kire", meaning "cut".

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdefghijMeyer, Matthew (31 May 2013)."Kuchisake onna".Yokai.Retrieved6 August2019.
  2. ^abcdefgPhilbrook, Scott (co-host); Burgess, Forrest (co-host); Meyer, Matthew (guest) (14 October 2018)."Ep 121: Yokai Horrors of Japan"(Podcast). Astonishing Legends.Retrieved6 August2019.
  3. ^abYoshiyuki, Iikura (27 December 2019)."Japanese Urban Legends from the" Slit-Mouthed Woman "to" Kisaragi Station "".Nippon.Retrieved18 February2020.
  4. ^abAlverson, Brigid (16 June 2016)."A Short Course in Yokai with Translator Zack Davisson".Barnes & Noble.Retrieved14 August2019.
  5. ^abMatchar, Emily (31 October 2013)."Global Ghosts: 7 Tales of Specters From Around the World".The Atlantic.Retrieved6 August2019.
  6. ^abcFordy, Tom (8 March 2019)."Sadako lives: the true stories behind five Japanese horror movies".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved6 August2019.
  7. ^abcYoda & Alt 2013,p. 204–206.
  8. ^Yoda & Alt 2013.
  9. ^Harden, Blaine (31 October 2008)."Monsters: Japan has thousands of 'yokai'".The Santa Fe New Mexican.p. A001.Retrieved11 March2020.
  10. ^Yoda & Alt 2013,p. 206.
  11. ^Yoda & Alt 2013,p. 206–207.
  12. ^Dylan Foster 2008,p. 252.
  13. ^abLombardi, Linda (7 January 2019)."Shigeru Mizuki, the legendary manga creator and 'Yokai Professor,' finally gets his due".Syfy.Retrieved14 August2019.
  14. ^abcDylan Foster 2008,p. 185.
  15. ^Squires, John (10 August 2016)."Sadako vs. Kayako Coming Exclusively to Streaming Service Shudder; New Images!".Dread Central.Retrieved6 August2019.
  16. ^Martin, Todd (13 July 2017)."Film Review: Carved 2: The Scissors Massacre".HorrorNews.net.Retrieved6 August2019.
  17. ^Murguía 2016,p. 176–178.
  18. ^Komatsu, Mikikazu (27 June 2012)."VIDEO: Japanese Horror Movie" Kuchisake-onna Returns "Trailer".Crunchyroll.Retrieved6 August2019.
  19. ^Ogawa, Noelle (26 January 2019)."Urban Legend Spooks: Mob Psycho 100 II's Peek Into Horror".Crunchyroll.Retrieved6 August2019.
  20. ^Ahmad, Suzail (2023-08-31)."Jujutsu Kaisen: Every Special Grade Curse, Ranked".Game Rant.Retrieved2024-02-21.
  21. ^Peters, Kylie (24 November 2014)."Constantine episode 5 review: Danse Voudou".Den of Geek.Retrieved18 October2020.
  22. ^Pollard, Andrew (13 December 2014)."Constantine Season 1, Episode 5 'Danse Vaudou'".Starburst Magazine.Retrieved18 October2020.
  23. ^Watts, Rachel (21 February 2020)."World of Horror is a gruesome adventure game inspired by the work of Junji Ito".PC Gamer.Retrieved7 May2024.
  24. ^"Get to Know Ghostwire: Tokyo's Visitors & Yokai".
  25. ^https://twitter /playGhostwire/status/1532739281197969409

Sources[edit]

Further reading[edit]

  • よくわかる “Thế giới の yêu quái” sự điển ― hà đồng, Tôn Ngộ Không から, ドラキュラ, khẩu nứt け nữ まで[A Well-Understood "World Monster" Encyclopedia - from Kappa and Son Goku to Dracula and the Slit-Mouth Woman] (in Japanese). Kosaido Publishing. 2007.ISBN978-4331654170.

External links[edit]

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