Oni

鬼 · おに

Oni

Greaterwell-documentedShintoBuddhistJapan
Origin

Oni are said to be the spirits of sinful humans transformed after death, or divine agents of the king of hell (Emma-O) assigned to punish the wicked. Some traditions say they were once human priests who fell from grace.

Appearance

Giant humanoids with one or multiple horns, wild hair, and fanged mouths. Skin is typically red (associated with anger) or blue/green (associated with cold and death). They carry iron clubs (kanabō).

Abilities

Enormous physical strength. Command over disease and plague. Can fly. In some traditions can take human form to infiltrate communities. Serve as torturers in the Buddhist hell realms.

Weaknesses & Wards

Weaknesses

  • substance
    Roasted soybeans thrown at them during Setsubun
  • substance
    Holly branches and sardine heads hung at door

Wards

  • ritual
    Bean-throwing ceremony (Mamemaki) during Setsubun
Sources
  1. [1]
    The Book of Yokai. Foster, Michael Dylan. 2015. The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore. University of California Press.academic
  2. [2]
    Demons at the Gate. Noriko, Reider. 2003. Transformation of the Oni: From the Frightening and Diabolical to the Cute and Lovable. Asian Folklore Studies 62(1).academic
well-documented