The Oni is a creature believed to have roamed most parts of Japan during the Stone Age causing destruction and pain to humans. People, believed to have encountered this destructive blood thirst creature, described it as a huge creature with wild hair, long, sharp claws, and two gigantic horns. Some unnatural features about this creature were also noted. For instance, in the late 1650s, new accounts of the Oni being a creature with many eyes and extra fingers emerged. During this period, many people claimed to have had personal contact with the creature. While many accounts were consistent, the colors of the creature kept changing with every encounter. Many people claimed the creature was blue, while others claimed it was red. Still, a few people said it was yellow. According to natives, the Oni is invincible and deadly. In fact, many people who encountered this creature did not live long enough to divulge pertinent information about it. Many theories have attempted to explain the origin of the Oni, but none has been conclusive enough to be undisputed. However, many Japanese believe that the Oni is a ghost of dead people who did not get justice in life. Others believe the Oni is an estranged servant of god.
Human blood is Oni’s favorite meal. It is believed that the creature could suck off all the blood from its victims leaving them for dead. The human blood nourished and healed the creature. The Oni also fed on other animals’ blood. The remote villages in the eastern parts of Japan reported attacks on livestock likened to the attack of the Oni. In both cases, the victims’ remains lacked the tongue. For reasons yet to be established, the Oni took away the tongues of its victims.
Today, many scientists, scholars, and historians have been trying so hard to dispel the existence of the Oni, but in reality, the stories of its killing spree will have a lasting impact in Japan.
Jenny Kim