Fern Flower
Published on May 11, 2020

Hidarugami

  • Hidarutami
  • Darashi
  • Daru

Regions of expansion

Japan 1
Japan

Description

Spirits from Japanese folklore. "Hidarugami" (Hidarugami) roughly translates as "hungry gods". Depending on the region, hidarugami can be called with the words "hidarutami" or "darashi" or "daru", but their behavior is the same.

It is believed that these are the souls of those who died of starvation, lost in the mountains, and whose bodies were never found. They wander in search of someone with whom they can share their agony of eternal hunger.

They attack travelers walking along lonely mountain paths. The victims are suddenly overcome by an insatiable feeling of hunger, the like of which they have never experienced. This feeling is almost irresistible and is often accompanied by inexplicable fatigue and numbness of the limbs, as a result of which the victims of the attack of the "hungry ghost" fall to the ground, not understanding what is happening. If the traveler is not helped in time, it will almost certainly lead to his death or a state of complete insanity, and after his death the traveler will become the same hungry ghost.

Hidarugami in popular culture

Links

  • Yuri Q "Ghost of Japan Short Stories"