Japanese horror story

Cafe Society
1

I read a Japanese short story once, and I wonder if anyone can tell me the name. It involves a man who must climb a haunted road after dark. He is warned to watch out for a faceless demon. At the end of the story he reaches the top of the road and meets an old lady (beggar woman?). He tells her of the demon. The dialog is something along these lines:

WOMAN: And the demon’s face is like unto an egg?
MAN: Yes.
WOMAN (revealing her non-face): Like THIS?

2

I’ve read several variants of that story. I read one when I was quite small, and the idea of a faceless person scared me so much that I still have nightmares about it. ::shudder::

3

That… sounds freaky :frowning:

4

Here ya go!

Mujina

There are several versions on line, so this may not be exactly the version you remember (it’s not the same as the one I remember either-- it has a “soba-man” at the end instead of a woman, but is otherwise spot on).

This thing sacred the bejesus out of me when I was a kid.

5

I think the legend is also called the “Faceless Woman”

From the link that Rosebud got before me:

After the guy finds the crying woman the tale ends like this:

A recent retelling of that legend appeared in the Hayao Miyazaki animated movie Pom Poko: Tanukis (animals native to Asia which look like raccoons) were threatened by the destruction of their habitat. Banding together and seeking help from other tribes of Tanuki, they live up to their traditionally mischievous reputation by changing their shape and trying to sabotage the construction effort.

The Tanukis scare the hell out of the night guard in the same way as the Faceless woman, complete with the final twist and lights out!

That movie is Full of Japanese Ghost lore. And is Funny and sad.

And lets not forget that this tale is told in many ways in many parts of the world:

6

Well, you learn something new every day!

The only thing I’d heard of was the idea of “Nopperabou”, which is a ghost or monster with no face. I had no idea there was a whole story attached to it, or that there was a different name too.

Thanks!

7

Mujina is exactly the story. Thanks!