Hyakki Yagyō

DemonJapan · East AsiaLegendFear 10/10

Description

A demon from the folklore of Japan. Hyakki Yagyō (百鬼夜行, "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons"), also transliterated Hyakki Yakō, is an…

The Legend

Hyakki Yagyō (百鬼夜行) refers to the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' in Japanese folklore, indicating a procession of thousands of supernatural beings, such as oni and yōkai, marching through the streets of Japan at night. This procession can appear either as an orderly march or as a chaotic spectacle. Hyakki Yagyō represents the terrifying intrusion of supernatural beings into the real world, similar to the concept of 'pandemonium' in English, though not exactly the same. According to one recent legend, every summer night, the yōkai Nurarihyon is said to lead all yōkai through the streets of Japan. Those who encounter this procession may be killed or abducted by yōkai, and it is said that carrying an exorcism scroll inscribed with spells from a onmyōji can prevent this. Additionally, the medieval Japanese encyclopedia 'Shugaisho' states that staying home on a specific night corresponding to certain dates in the Chinese lunar calendar or reciting specific magical incantations can ensure safety from the night parade.

In Popular Culture

Hyakki Yagyō is a popular theme in traditional Japanese stories and art, appearing in various tales collected by folklorists. In the 'Uji Shui Monogatari', there is a story about a monk who encounters a group of one hundred yōkai passing by the Ryūsenji Temple. In the 'Gonzaku Monogatari', it is told that during the Heian period (859-877), the eldest son of the Fujiwara family saw one hundred demons walking down the main street on his way to his lover's house. Additionally, stories of Hyakki Yagyō are found in various texts such as 'Okagami', 'Godanshō', 'Gohon Monogatari', and 'Hōmotsu'.

This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Hyakki Yagyō" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia