Fern Flower
Published on January 26, 2022

Yurei

Regions of expansion

Japan 1
Japan

Description

Yurei (Japanese: Ray, otherworldly (unclear) spirit) - the ghost of a deceased person in Japanese mythology. A distinctive feature of the classic yurei is its lack of legs.

As a rule, yurei are:

  • Those who died a violent death.
  • Those over whom the prescribed rites were not performed. Such perfumes are very common in modern Japan. Their favorite place of appearance is the road tunnels dug under their graves.
  • Who have not completed some important task. Most often it's revenge.
  • Souls who have temporarily left their bodies.
  • Apostates who had no place on earth or in heaven. Since there are practically no religious movements in Japan that allow this, this type of yurei is practically not found.

Japanese ghosts are not tied to a specific habitat. Yurei are particularly interested in abandoned houses, old temples, dilapidated mountain huts, where they wait for a belated traveler.

You can not only see them, but also hear them: heavy breathing in an empty room, footsteps behind the wall, heart-rending moans, the click of wooden shoe heels in a dark alley. 

Yurei in popular culture