Oct 27, 2020 mujina an old word referring to japanese badgers or raccoon dogs, and occasionally to shapeshifting ghosts is short, sharp and spooky, typifying kwaidans style. The faceless ghost is often referred to by english speakers as a mujina, but the japanese know it as nopperabo. They are first seen in literature in the nihon shoki in the part about empress suikos 35th year 627, where it states, in two months of spring, there are mujina in the country of mutsu. Monsters, ghosts, fantastic beings, and supernatural. Japanese ghost stories by lafcadio hearn goodreads. The badger and the monkey and the otter mujina to saru to ka. The last man who saw the mujina was an old merchant of the kyobashi. Badgers are not listed in the environment ministrys red data book of. These demons are fairly common and often live around humans. The most famous story recollection of the nopperabo comes from lafcadio hearns book kwaidan.
The ghost stories of lafcadio hearn tokyo weekender. The book is easy to read, and at the same time immensely informative on the complicated and varied ways yokai have existed throughout japanese history. It also invites readers to examine how people create, transmit, and. These and 17 other chilling supernatural tales based on legends, myths, and beliefs of ancient japan represent the very best of lafcadio hearns literary style. The story of a man who travelled along the akasaka road to edo, he came across a young woman in a remote location near kunizaka hill, crying and forlorn. However, now that shigeru mizuki is such a big influence on japanese folklore, almost everyone knows a tanuki. In japanese folklore, like the kitsune and the tanuki typically a japanese raccoon dog, mujina which could be raccoon dog or badger are frequently depicted as yokai that shapeshift and deceive humans.
It was funded through kickstarter in 2011 and first published in 2012. Discover japanese ghost stories as its meant to be heard, narrated by. The mujina of the akasaka road the most famous story recollection of the nopperabo comes from lafcadio hearn s book kwaidan. So it makes sense he would do a manga adaptation of tono monogatari, a japanese classic from 1910 that records folklore from the city of tono. Cowriter jennifer nicole stang read numerous hawaiian mythological books and journals to make sure that the unfamiliars creatures are rooted in actual hawaiian myths and folklore. Oct 31, 2012 mujina a japanese ghost story posted on october 31, 2012 by e. Book cover, stories of tanuki in awa province here we see a. His ghost stories, which were drawn from japanese folklore, appeared in collections throughout the 1890s. This particular sort of monster is often referred to by english speakers as a mujina, but the japanese know it as nopperabo. The old, childless couple is a staple of japanese fairy tales, much in line with the poor farmer or wood cutter of the grimms. Stories and studies of strange things called mujina. Slender man in mythology slender man connection wiki fandom. The night parade of one hundred demons, written and illustrated by matthew meyer, is a 224page fullcolor yokai encyclopedia containing over 100 creatures from japanese folklore.
Lafcadio hearn, a master storyteller, drew on traditional japanese folklore. Lafcadio hearn drew on the phantoms and ghouls of traditional japanese folklore including the headless rokurokubi, the monstrous goblins jikininki or the faceless mujina who stalk lonely neighbourhoods and infused them with his own memories of his haunted childhood in nineteenthcentury ireland to create these terrifying tales of. A beautiful woman the personification of winter at its cruelest ruthlessly kills unsuspecting mortals. In japanese folklore, like the fox and the tanuki, they are frequently depicted as a yokai that shapeshifts and deceives humans. In some regions the term refers instead to the raccoon dog tanuki or fox kitsune.
They are recurring foes for exorcists such as miroku and madame exorcist. Mujinas also the name for a hot spring resort in japan. Japanese immigrants brought this folklore to hawaii, and the old tale took on a new spin. In some regions the term refers instead to the raccoon. In this collection of classic ghost stories from japan, beau. The fox, badger and raccoon dog take human form in japanese. This years tale is adapted from lafcadio hearns kwaidan, a classic book of japanese ghost stories. Stories and studies of strange things titled mujina.
The kaimoni was played by tori butlerhart and the mujina was played by rebecca hanssen. Hearns mujina and badger undoubtably refer to the raccoon dog. Mujina, a short story relating to the above legends, found in lafcadio hearns book kwaidan. Japanese ghost stories by lafcadio hearn 97802481274. Bakedanuki wikipedia the evil spirits may be in the form of monkey, cat, rat, badger or raccoon dog mujina, tanuki. He was born in greece and raised in england, and moved to japan in 1890. Mujina to oriental monsters the shapeshifting mujina in folklore, from the konjaku gazu zoku hyakki. In some stories the mujina is endowed with mystic qualities, able to appear out of. The fox and badger in japanese folklore, transactions of the asiatic society of japan, vol. Mujina a japanese ghost story posted on october 31, 2012 by e. The use of the term mujina to mean a shapeshifting animal spirit first appears in the early historical record of japan known as the nihongi compiled in 711. Tales of their uncanny prowess in disguise are told wherever there are badgers. This ability to evade capture has resulted in another popular myth. Japanese ghost stories by lafcadio hearn audiobook.
It takes place on a bank by the old akasaka road in tokyo, where a merchant happens across a form of yokai recurring in japanese folklore, the nopperabo faceless ghost. Rebecca played the character of emma cormack in the unfamiliar too. They are sometimes mistakenly referred to as a mujina, an old japanese word for. Journal of religion in japan the book of yokai is a fascinating and enormously informative study. Mujina from the konjaku gazu zoku hyakki by sekien toriyama in japanese folklore, like the kitsune fox and the tanuki typically a japanese raccoon dog, mujina which could be raccoon dog or badger are frequently depicted as yokai that shapeshift and deceive humans. A few pages here and there throughout the manga also explain more about japanese folklore, and this is quite helpful, especially for any readers new to these types of stories. Folk, legends of the shapeshifting mujina japanese. These traditions were modified by shinto and later buddhism, incorporating elements from chinese and indian folklore and mythology as well. There is a short story published in lafcadio hearns book kwaidan. Cold sweats, icy fingers down the spine, and blood.
The last three chapters are studies on chinese and japanese folklore about insects butterflies, ants, and mosquitoes. Japanese folklore is an amalgamation of different traditions, with its foundation in the folk religions of isolated tribes living on the japanese isles. In this collection of classic ghost stories from japan, beautiful princesses turn out to be. In japanese mythology, the mujina is a shapeshifting yokai spirit that mocks and deceives human beings. The first known instance of badgers or mujina in japanese folklore was in the eighthcentury legal document laws concerning robbers where they are reported as vengeful, justicedelivering demons. These badger demons mujina often take the form of an attractive woman with a promiscuous nature, usally causing mischief in their partners lives. Hearns ghost story mujina appears in kwa article by alexis bryant. Mujina is actually the name for badgers who in japanese folklore could play tricks like the one in this story. Despite their cuddly appearance, badgers are surprisingly agile, reaching speeds of up to 20mph in the open. Kan rarely appears in chinese or japanese mythology. Japanese ghost stories mujina and the faceless ones youtube. In japanese folklore, like the kitsune fox and the tanuki typically a japanese raccoon dog, mujina which could be raccoon dog or badger are frequently.
Japan is a single nation, but its origins are so old, and often, so fragmented, that unified mythology and folklore can be difficult to point to. In some regions the term refers instead to the raccoon dog also called monster mujina read more. After attempting to console the young woman and offer assistance, she turned to face him, startling him with the blank countenance of a faceless ghost. The kaibutsu ehon illustrated book of monsters features woodblock prints of. Aug 30, 20 so the names tanuki and mujina might seem interchangeable, but one region in japan uses tanuki and mujina for animals that go by different names in another region. In japanese folklore, shape shifting is attributed to three animals foxes, cats under certain conditions and raccoon dogs. They are often responsible for possessions which can cause illness. One of the forms the mujina is purported to take, as popularized in a story by lafcadio hearn, is that of a faceless ghost. Here are all the phantoms and ghouls of japanese folklore.
Ghost stories kept the people cool back in old japan before electric fans and central air. Mizuki himself was influenced by the original book. From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia mujina is an old japanese term primarily referring to the badger. Yokai, are strange, supernatural creatures and phenomena from japanese folklore. Nov 28, 2011 in japanese folklore, shape shifting is attributed to three animals foxes, cats under certain conditions and raccoon dogs. The badger is a mistranslation of tanuki mujina, for the reallife badger and mythological badger exerted no major impact on japan s tanuki lore or mujina lore. In folklore mujina from the konjaku gazu zoku hyakki by sekien toriyama in japanese folklore, like the kitsune fox and the tanuki typically a japanese raccoon dog, mujina which could be raccoon dog or badger are frequently depicted as yokai that shapeshift and deceive humans. Adding to the confusion, it may also refer to the introduced masked palm civet, and in some regions badgerlike animals or japanese raccoon dog are also called mami. Paul murray editorintroducer is the author of biographies of lafcadio hearn and bram stoker, and the editor of collections of hearns work. Feb 25, 2011 in japanese folktales, mujina is not really a human ghost, but a supernatural animal that can change into a human being. In 1959, a woman was reported to have seen a mujina at a drivein theater in kahala.
The mujina of japanese folklore is an avid shapeshifter and deceiver of humans. Japanese folklore has a rich tradition of terrifying ghost stories. In some regions the term refers instead to the japanese raccoon dog. Mujina noyu is a onsen facility in nasu, tochigi, japan see also. Welcome to, the illustrated database of japanese folklore.
The story recounts the confrontation between a mujina and an old man. Still, there are some key texts, tales, and characters we can focus on which will give us a pretty good sense of japanese mythology. A lively excursion into japanese folklore and its everexpanding influence on global popular culture through the concept of yokai. Some of them have never appeared in english before, while others will be intimately familiar to fans of japanese folklore. A bakeitachi, monster weasel is a type of yokai that resembles or was originally a weasel.
When it does, it most often symbolizes good fortune and happiness. In japanese folklore, shape shifting is attributed to three animals. Monsters, ghosts, fantastic beings, and supernatural phenomena of. Whatever the message might be, nopperabo are strange critters, and yet another example of the bizarre menagerie of monsters the japanese believed haunted their countryside. Jan 11, 2012 kachikachi yama is a tale of murder and leporine vengeance an old childless couple live in the mountains. Mujina and mami the myth and the mammals wild in japan. This week, leading up to halloween, im posting some modernized versions of the japanese ghost stories documented by lafcadio hearn in a 1903 book of short stories, called kwaidan. Jan 14, 2015 the book of yokai provides a lively excursion into japanese folklore and its everexpanding influence on global popular culture. Within these pages youll find an evergrowing collection of yokai and legends from all parts of japan and all periods of japanese history. Shigeru mizukis tono monogatari is beautifully illustrated. One of the forms the mujina is purported to take, is that of a faceless ghost. Jun 02, 20 the second primary story involving nopperabo smacks of paranoia toward strangers, reading almost like a feudal japanese version of the phantom hitchhiker.
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