Kijo (folklore)
A woman transformed into an oni through karma and resentment.
A kijo (鬼女, meaning "demon woman") is a female oni in Japanese folklore. These beings are typically women transformed into oni through karma and bitterness. Both younger and older female oni can be called kijo, while the term onibaba (鬼婆, "demon hag") specifically denotes a hag-like appearance rather than simply an older kijo.
Kijo appear frequently in Japanese legends, folktales, fairy tales, and performing arts. Notable examples include Momiji from *The Legend of Momiji* and *Momijigari*, set in Togakushi, Shinano Province (now Kinasa, Nagano), and Suzuka Gozen from the Suzuka Mountains. The onibaba of Adachigahara (also called Kurozuka) is often classified as a kijo despite having "baba" in her name. In the *Tosa Obake Zōshi* (author unknown), a collection of yōkai tales from Tosa Province (now Kōchi Prefecture), a kijo with hair about 150 centimeters long is described eating a fetus from a pregnant woman. This tale shares motifs with the onibaba legend of Adachigahara in Fukushima Prefecture, but there is no confirmed direct lineage between the two stories.
The term "kijo" is also used broadly for women with hearts as cruel as an oni's.
- also_known_as
- Onibaba (demon hag; specifically hag-like appearance)
Lore & Background
Kijo often appear in Japanese legends, folktales, fairy tales, and performing arts. Famous among them are Momiji from The Legend of Momiji and Momijigari, from Togakushi, Shinano Province (now the town of Kinasa, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture), and Suzuka Gozen from the Suzuka Mountains. The onibaba of Adachigahara (Kurozuka) had 'baba' in her name, but she is also considered a kijo.
Reader's Guide
The kijo serves as a figure of transformation and vengeance in Japanese folklore, embodying the consequences of intense resentment and karma. The Tosa Obake Zōshi, an anonymous work from Tosa Province (now Kōchi Prefecture), records a kijo with hair about 150 centimeters long who ate a fetus from a pregnant woman. This story originated from the onibaba legend of Adachigahara in Fukushima Prefecture and later spread to Tosa, blending with local legends. The term 'kijo' is also used as a general term for women with hideous hearts like that of an oni, extending its meaning beyond literal demon women to a metaphor for cruelty. The figure appears in various media, including the film Onibaba, and is linked to other hags and crones in world folklore, such as Baba Yaga and Black Annis.
Did You Know?
- Female oni are called 'kijo' regardless of age, while 'onibaba' refers specifically to a hag-like appearance.
- The onibaba of Adachigahara is also considered a kijo.
- The Tosa Obake Zōshi describes a kijo with hair 4 shaku and 8 sun (about 150 cm) long.
- The word 'kijo' is used as a general term for women with hideous hearts like an oni.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a kijo in Japanese folklore?
A kijo (鬼女) is a female oni, literally a 'demon woman,' in Japanese mythology. Unlike male oni, kijo are specifically women who have been turned into supernatural beings through accumulated karma and deep-seated resentment.
How does a woman become a kijo?
In Japanese folklore, a woman transforms into a kijo as a direct result of her own karma and bitterness. The change is driven by her negative emotions and actions, ultimately reshaping her into a female oni.
What's the difference between kijo and onibaba?
Kijo (鬼女) is the broader term covering any female demon woman regardless of age or physical form. Onibaba (鬼婆) is narrower, referring specifically to those with a hag-like appearance, making it a subset rather than a true synonym.
Which famous kijo appear in Japanese legends?
Two well-known examples are Momiji, central to the Togakushi legends of old Shinano Province (present-day Nagano), and Suzuka Gozen, tied to the Suzuka Mountains. Both stories have been retold through folktales and adapted into traditional performing arts.
Where do kijo show up in Japanese culture?
Kijo figures recur across Japanese legends, folktales, fairy tales, and stage performance traditions. They function as cautionary supernatural presences whose origins are always rooted in themes of karma and unresolved bitterness.
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