Rashōmon no oni is an oni said to have nested at the front gate of Heian-kyō, Rashōmon. During a banquet after a battle, one samurai mentioned that there was an oni at Rashōmon. Another samurai, Watanabe no Tsuna, said there was no logical basis for an oni to dwell on royal grounds, so he armed himself with armor, a helmet, and his ancestral tachi and rode out to see for himself. As Rashōmon came into view, there was a sudden gust of sudden wind, and his horse stopped moving. When Tsuna dismounted and headed towards Rashōmon, an oni appeared from behind him and grabbed at his helmet. Tsuna cut at the oni with his tachi, but the helmet was stolen. Tsuna’s tachi and the oni’s iron rod clashed violently, until Tsuna cut off one of the oni’s arm.
| Alias Rashōmon no oni (羅城門の鬼 or 羅生門の鬼) |
| Real Names/Alt Names ○ |
| Characteristics Yōkai, Enlightenment and Neoclassicism, Japanese |
| Creators/Key Contributors Toriyama Sekien, ○ |
| First Appearance Japanese folklore |
| First Publisher ○ |
| Appearance List Konjaku Hyakki Shūi (今昔百鬼拾遺, “Supplement to The Hundred Demons from the Present and the Past”, c. 1781) Vol. 3 “Rain” |
| Sample Read Konjaku Hyakki Shūi Vol. 3 “Rain” (c. 1781) [Smithsonian] |
| Description Rashōmon no oni is an oni said to have nested at the front gate of Heian-kyō, Rashōmon. During a banquet after a battle, one samurai mentioned that there was an oni at Rashōmon. Another samurai, Watanabe no Tsuna, said there was no logical basis for an oni to dwell on royal grounds, so he armed himself with armor, a helmet, and his ancestral tachi and rode out to see for himself. As Rashōmon came into view, there was a sudden gust of sudden wind, and his horse stopped moving. When Tsuna dismounted and headed towards Rashōmon, an oni appeared from behind him and grabbed at his helmet. Tsuna cut at the oni with his tachi, but the helmet was stolen. Tsuna’s tachi and the oni’s iron rod clashed violently, until Tsuna cut off one of the oni’s arm. |
| Source Rashomon no oni – Wikipedia |
