YUKI-ONNA

Name:  Yuki-Onna (Snow Woman), Yuki-Musume (Snow Girl) 

Features:  Ghost of a beautiful woman with cold, see-through skin

Source:  Japanese Folklore

Habitat:  In the mountains of Japan



This mythical creature is said to be the ghost of a young and beautiful woman named the Snow Woman.  While traveling alone in the mountains of Japan, she unfortunately froze to death during a fierce blizzard that swarmed the mountains.

Her rage for dying in such a horrible way, and for dying alone causes her to kill almost every man she encounters.  Some say she kills any man who has ever mistreated a woman or if he is just plain evil.

The Snow Spirit doesn’t walk on the ground thus leaving no foot prints; she floats above it with her flowing robes twirling around her. She also has the power to appear and disappear wherever she chooses while outdoors.

When men travel the mountains and encounter her, she uses her beauty to enchant them.  Once they get close enough to notice her see-through skin the Snow Spirit blows her icy breath at them and freezes them to death.

It is said that sometimes, this beautiful ghost takes pity on a man she encounters.  If he is young and has a good heart she spares his life.  Yuki-Onna then makes the man swear to secrecy about her existence and tricks his memory into thinking the encounter was all but just a silly dream.

If she fancies the young, warm hearted man enough she sometimes reappears the following day in human form.  She then uses her irresistible beauty to make him fall deeply in love with her.  She is said to have married several men during the course of her existence and even to have given birth to children while in partnership with them.

Sometimes to lure men, she crouches in a corner holding a bundle.  Passing men who see this think it is a mother in distress holding a child.  When they try to help – she throws them the block of ice she was cradling and freezes them where they stand.

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