Big Book of Mythology (Yokai Edition)

Ame-onna

Translation: Rain woman

Other names: Ame-onba / Ame-otoko (male form)

Type: Human / Kami (God)

Preference: Nagano (Japan) / Mount Wushan (China)

Habitat: Dark streets and alleys (formerly clouds and holy mountains)

Diet: Unknown (possibly rain or newborns)

Danger zone: Blue (Difficult)

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About Ame-onna:
Some people don't like the rain, but this yokai seem to love it. Ame-onna (aka. Rain woman) is a female spirit who was first introduced as a goddess from China's Mount Wushan, but was changed into an yokai in Japan. She may be considered a rain-bringer for crops.

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Appearance:
Ame-Onna is reported as being a woman with long black hair standing or walking through the rain, sometimes carrying a bag or a large umbrella, licking the drops from her hand. She can be either pictured as a beautiful woman or an old hag. As most Yūrei (ghosts), she is depicted as wearing a white kimono.

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Behavior/Interaction:
The Ame-onna is a type of yokai that appear on rainy days/nights. She summons rain wherever she goes and is often blamed for kidnapping children. Ame-onna is related to minor rain deities and brings rain that might save a village in drought or bring fortune to farmers, but Ame-onna have another purpose in mind: she wanders the villages on rainy nights looking for newborn babies. If she finds a child born that night, she'll snatch it and carry it off into the darkness, spiriting it away to turn it into another ame onna. Ain't that nice?

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Abilities:
• Rain manipulation: Summons rain anywhere and wherever she goes.

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Targets:
Children (newborns)

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Escape plan:
I don't know...I guess keep your baby quiet.

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Origin story:
The first ame onna go back to the ancient folk religions of Japan and China, where the rains were said to be brought by benevolent gods and goddesses who live as clouds by morning and as rain by night, forever traveling between heaven and earth. Legend has it that somehow, some of these rain-bringing goddesses became corrupted and gradually evolved into evil yokai, abandoning their divinity to live among mortals and prey upon them.

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NOPE Rating:
4/5