Oni - The Traditional Japanese Demon - The Story of Shuten Dōji (Japanese Folklore Explained)

It's been a while since we last explored any Japanese folklore, and today we'll be taking a look at one of the most iconic figures, the Oni. Roughly translated, Oni means ogre or demon, and they have a large overbearing figure, much taller than any man. The appearance of the Oni is something that does vary. They are most commonly shown with red or blue skin, with two horns and fang-like tusks. Their appearance is not too different from that of an ogre. The number of horns, eyes and fingers, along with skin colour, is something that does constantly change depending on the story. Their clothing, as you would expect from a giant ogre-like creature, is quite primitive, only wearing the pelts and hides of beasts they have slain. Their size would suggest that they have immense strength, and the Oni are extremely dangerous demons. Wherever they go, disease and disaster spreads and follows. Oni were originally once human, but they are born when a truly evil human dies. They are then sent to one of the many buddhist hells, where they eventually transform into an Oni. They were the servants of the great lord Emna, ruler of hell. Wielding huge iron clubs, they would destroy and crush any human that crossed their path for fun. The Oni were responsible for punishing those who were considered evil enough to be reborn into a demon, similar to themselves. Their techniques of torture included crushing bones and peeling off the skin of their victims. Onis were the foot soldiers of choice for the great generals of the underworld, and there have been occasions where a human soul is so evil and beyond any kind of redemption that they transform into an Oni while still alive, remaining on earth, terrorizing the living. These Oni are the most commonly referred to in the stories, as they were considered to be the most dangerous. Originally the word Oni was used in Chinese folklore and even some buddhist teachings. It was used to refer to ghosts, spirits and monsters, and it was commonly used in Chinese to refer to a ghost. The same could be said in early folklore. Before spirits had been individually categorized, Oni referred to any supernatural being. As spirits became more defined, the definition for Oni became much more narrow, referring to a specific kind of ogre-like demon. When looking into stories regarding the Oni, the one that I kept coming across was the story of Shuten Doji. Shuten Doji was a very smart but troubled orphan child. At a very early age, he became a monk, but it was a lifestyle that he could not adapt to. He would often get into fights with the other monks and lacked any kind of respect for his peers. He was lazy, and he would rather spend his time drinking rather than studying. This earned him the nickname Shuten Doji, meaning little drunkard. During one of the festivals, Shuten Doji decided that he would play pranks during the celebration. He decided that he would wear an Oni mask and hide in the darkness, waiting to scare the festival goers. When the festival was over, he attempted to take off the mask, but he could not as it had fused itself to his face. When he looked for help, everyone he asked refused, mocking him and reminding him what type of person he had been to them. He was full of anger, and his heart began to resemble that of an Oni. He left the monastery and fled to the mountains where he would live as a hermit. Now alone in solitude, his hatred and anger towards the world only grew each day. He began to embrace wickedness and cruelty, studying black magic. He would kidnap young men and women who crossed his path, taking them back to his lair, drinking their blood and devouring their organs. With each passing year, he grew stronger and more violent. He had earned the reputation of true evil and other wicked individuals flocked to him. It wasn't long before Shuten Doji had amassed a small army of demons. His army grew large enough that it attracted the attention of the emperor who could no longer allow his people to be ravaged. He ordered his most powerful warrior, Reiko, to climb the mountain and bring back the head of Shuten Doji. Reiko and his men made their way to the castle of Shuten Doji, where they came across the army of demons drinking sake. They managed to poison the sake and the oni fell into a drunken slumber. The sleeping oni were slain one by one. When they finally reached Shuten Doji, Reiko swung his sword and sliced off the head of the demon. But Shuten Doji had grown so strong that he was not killed. His head continued attempting to bite Reiko and his men. The head was taken somewhere where no one could find it and buried where it could no longer cause any more trouble. The oni were terrifying figures and some of the most deadly in Japanese folklore, but over the years they have gone through a transformation. They are now seen as somewhat of a good luck charm, with oni masks being used to scare away evil spirits. I hope you guys enjoyed the video, if you did then feel free to give it a thumbs up. It was definitely fun taking another look at Japanese folklore. If you guys have any stories of oni that you'd like to share then please do so in the comments below. As always, I've been your host, Mythology & Fiction Explained.