What is Japanese Urban Legends

491 14 0
                                    

Japanese urban legends (都市伝説 Toshi Densetsu) are enduring modern folktales of either:

paranormal creatures and their attacks on (usually) innocent victims; ornon-supernatural, widespread rumours in popular culture.

The former rarely include the fantastical or animistic yokai of earlier Japanese superstition, and are mostly based on onryo (Japanese ghosts who have become vengeful spirits and take their aggression out on any who cross their path). Modern urban legends tend to include Japanese schools and, similar to the yokai legends, incorporate cautionary tales into their stories, warning people not to bully others, walk home late at night, or talk to strangers. Although there are non-supernatural urban legends in Japan's cities, such as the secret Tokyo tunnels or the corpse-washing job rumour, this article deals with both the natural and supernatural legends of modern Japan.

TALES OF TERRORWhere stories live. Discover now