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In the city Hida, located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, is a pretty place. If you’re going to explore the streets of Hida at night, I suggest you don’t. “Why?” You may ask. My answer: Kuchisake-onna. Also commonly called ‘Slit-Mouth Woman’. She’s an onryō, an evil spirit of a woman, commonly wearing a surgical mask or a fan in front of her face, who asks a lone passerby if she is beautiful. Be careful how you answer. She will take off her mask, revealing long, terrifying slits on her mouth curving upward, almost in a smile. A deadly smile. I have done some research and have not found an absolute answer of what she does exactly if you answer in a way she does not approve of, but in some stories she is carrying scissors in her hand…we might have a few ideas of why she clutches onto that sharp tool.
There is more than one theory of her gruesome death. The sightings of Kuchisake-onna are said to be as old as Japan’s Edo period, which was the 17th-19th centuries. But some reports date back to the Heian period (794-1185 C.E.). One of the theories is that she was the wife of a samurai who had slashed her face after finding out about an affair. Another version proposes that a woman, jealous of Kuchisake-onna’s beauty, had mutilated her mouth with a blade. And the last theory I had heard was an accidental disfiguration during a medical procedure.
The legend of the Slit-Mouth Woman had gotten revived and gained attention in the 1970’s. There have even been sporadic reports to this day. Rumors and reports of sightings spread across Japan. Many people claimed to have seen her at night, especially near dark alleys and schools which were closed for the night. Parents were scared to let their children walk alone home from school, so they were often accompanied by an adult for safety.
If you ever find yourself in the presence of Kuchisake-onna, it is said that there are ways to evade her. The first (and most obvious) way is to avoid walking alone at night in dark and isolated places. Plus, regardless of the possibility of encountering the Slit-Mouth Woman, there’s safety in numbers, especially at night. If she does ask you the dreaded question, “Am I beautiful?”, avoid answering directly. Use replies such as, “I don’t know” or “So-so”. This will confuse her for a bit and you might be able to run away. This method is a bit strange but offering candy might distract her and will help you escape unharmed. And lastly you can carry a sharp object like a small blade (like a self-defense one, I don’t think you should be carrying around a kitchen knife) as it is said to deter her.
So, if you’re visiting Hida and are planning on walking at night, remember this article and all I have shared with you about Kuchisake-onna. Or just don’t go out at night alone to a dark alleyway.
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