A. Sutherland  – AncientPages.com – Japanese mythology has a rich arsenal of tales, legends, and myths. Among them, some describe unbelievable, supernatural, and malevolent spirits and monsters with the powers of invisibility.

Mitsukuni defying the skeleton spectre invoked by princess Takiyasha. Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1798 – 1861 – Public Domain

The name of this terrifying Yokai predator varies, and Gashadokuro (“starving skeleton”) is known in Japanese mythology as  O-Dokuro, Dokuro-No-Kai, and Mekurabe.

Folklore stories from Japan describe a gigantic creature because it is ten or more meters tall.

Gashadokuro has very specific tactics to attack. He bends over to attack his victims, biting off their heads and letting the blood run over their bodies as much as possible. The creature has a voracious appeтιтe for revenge and enjoys drinking human blood.

These terrifying spirits are thought to be indestructible.

Gashadokuro prefers to hunt and kill under the cover of cloudy and dark nights. Victims of this Yokai usually hear his coming because they hear ringing in their ears, or similar noise, as the creature is said to make a clattering sound with its teeth.

Unfortunately, these people cannot run to safe places; its too late as the Yokai’s ringing is heard only briefly before the creature’s attack. The Gashadokuro cannot be destroyed, and ancient people have always known about it. However, special Shinto charms can ward the monster off and redirect its attention.

There are many centuries-old tales of these huge skeletons. Some describe them as a re-animated combination of many skeletons created from ᴅᴇᴀᴅ people’s bones. According to one version oh his story,  he was made of the skulls of people who died on the battlefield.

These skeletons can function without body tissue and muscles.

The only warning for people who encounter the Gashadokuro is to find a safe place to hide as soon as possible and wait out the sunrise. However, this good advice often does not help because the spirit can virtually disᴀssemble itself to hide in different places one would not believe it to be able to fit into.

The Gashadokuro is a mysterious figure with deep roots in ancient folklore, though it is very difficult to find traces leading to these roots.

However, there is one legend that could contribute to all later stories about the evil Gashadokuro.  In the 10th century in Kyoto, a powerful samurai (Taira no Masakado) revolted against government forces on the island of Honshu.

His daughter named, Takiyasha-hime experimented with magic and was known to be a sorceress; she could make ghosts appear.

She knew her father was not powerful enough to stand against the government, so she wanted to protect him and their castle.

Image credit: Adobe Stock – Peppeneppe 

Using dark magic from a mysterious scroll she possessed, she came in contact with a Gashadokuro that appeared out of a void to charge at Ooya Tarou Mitsukini, the opposing samurai.

Throughout the period since, the evil Gashadokuro apparently continues to terrorize the land, as this legend says.

Will the Gashadokuro predator ever stop hunting its prey? No one knows, but perhaps when his anger is finally released, and it leaves the spirit’s body, the bones collapse, and the Gashadokuro exists no more.

Updated on December 27, 2023

Written by – A. Sutherland  – AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

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