Oni

Hear about the Oni on Episode 34 of our Podcast, the Japan Archives.

Oni

The Oni (鬼) are a type of Yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki by Toriyama Sekien.

They are generally portrayed as enormous muscular creatures with either red or green skin, as well as having horns. They are said to wear loincloths or tiger-pelt togas, are known as cannibals, and can swallow people whole in an act called Onihitokuchi.

Additionally they are often portrayed with only 3 fingers which is to show their inhumaness but also the ‘3 poisons’ which are considered the root of all suffering in the Buddhist faith, these being jealousy, hatred and delusion.

Sekien in his portrayal states they gain their name from the direction known as the north-east (ushitora – ‘ox-tiger’) which also goes by the name of the ‘Gate of Oni’ (kimon).

In the Nihon Ryōiki the Yōkai called the Gagoze is also stated as ‘the Oni Gagoze.’ Other creatures as well are said to be of this type such as the Sansei, Hannya, Hashi-Hime, Jami and Kidōmaru. The creature known as Shuten-dōji had his own army of these creatures upon Mount Ōe.¹ There are two other famous creatures of this type by the names of Zenki and Goki who renounce their evil ways after meeting En no Gyōja.²

The name ‘Oni’ is often used as term for ‘scary.’¹

Momotaro

The Foktale of Momotaro, concerns the island of Onigashima where a group of Oni live. They have been terrorizing Japan and so the boy Momotaro, with a faithful group of animal go to subdue them. They defeat the Oni and rescue their captives with Momotaro becoming a hero.³

Oni on our website

There are several different Yōkai which are stated to be Oni, these being:

Zenki and Goki	Shuten-dōji
Jami	Hannya
Hashi-Hime	Sansei
Gagoze	The Oni of Adachigahara
Rashōmon no oni	Kidōmaru
Onihitokuchi

External Links

• View the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki online here: Konjaku Online.

Footnotes

1. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.
2. Yoda, H & Alt, M. (2012) “Ninja Attack: True Tales of Assassins, Samurai and Outlaws” Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing.
3. Ozaki, Y.T. (1903) “The Japanese Fairy Book”. Westminster: Archibald Constable & Co. Ltd.

	Check out the Japan Archives, our Japanese History Podcast. Instagram (Japan): @japan_archives
	Check out our Gaming Channel on Youtube. Instagram (Minecraft): @mycenria
	Find the website useful? Please consider donating to help up keep the website running.