Kazimiera
01-09-2018, 03:31 PM
Creepy Tales About The Japanese Urban Legend Of The Slit-Mouthed Woman
Source: https://www.ranker.com/list/stories-about-kuchisake-onna-slit-mouthed-woman/jen-jeffers
When Kuchisake-onna, the Slit-Mouthed Woman, asks you a question, you better give her the right answer - or else. Among scary Japanese urban legends, she's one of the most frightening, said to brandish large scissors and prey on unsuspecting passersby. Kuchisake-onna stories detail her horrific appearance, with a jagged, bloody scar resembling a smile. Disfigured and murdered by a jealous husband, she is a malicious spirit returned from the dead who can appear anywhere at any time. She always wants to know one thing: Am I pretty?
Is Kuchisake-onna real? She's certainly captured the public imagination. Her ghastly figure appears in many Japanese ghost stories that date back as far as the Edo period of the 17th century. But whether you believe in the Slit-Mouthed Woman or not, there's no denying that stories about her send a shiver down the spine.
She Was Mutilated By Her Jealous Husband
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306390/original/she-was-mutilated-by-her-jealous-husband-photo-u2?w=650&q=50&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
As the story goes, a beautiful woman named Kuchisake was married to a man who suspected her of being unfaithful - and he was right. Kuchisake had fallen for another man, and was planning to leave her husband. Flying into a jealous rage, her husband knocked Kuchisake unconscious and tied her up. When she woke, he threatened to kill her if she left him, and used a large pair of scissors to slice her face into a permanent smile.
"Who will think you're pretty now?" he asked before slicing her head from her body. But when he was done, regret set in, and he stabbed himself to death.
She Hides In Plain Sight
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306394/original/she-blends-in-photo-u2?w=650&q=50&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
Looks are very important to Kuchisake-onna. Disfigured face aside, she appears as an attractive Asian woman with long, black hair, wearing a simple beige trench coat.
More recently, her legend has morphed to describe her as wearing a surgical mask over her mouth. It's not an uncommon accessory in Japan, given the national level of concern about infectious disease. Thanks to her innocuous appearance, the Slit-Mouthed Woman is able to blend in until she selects her prey.
There's No Right Answer To Her Question
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306388/original/there-and-_39_s-no-right-answer-to-her-question-photo-u3?w=650&q=50&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
The Slit-Mouthed Woman can come for you when you least expect it. Her mouth is always covered by a mask, fan, or scarf to hide her disfigurement, and she waits in the shadows as you pass by - and before you can react, she is in front of you and blocking your path. Holding a pair of large scissors, she asks, "Am I pretty?"
Before you can answer, she reveals her face: a mouth sliced into a hideous grin, exposing her teeth and tongue. "Am I pretty now?" she asks.
What will you say? If you say yes or try to scream, she will mercilessly slash your face so it looks just like hers. Running is no use, because Kuchisake-onna is eerily quick and might cut you in half out of anger. And if you say no to her question, she'll walk away - for now. But she will follow you home, watching your every move, and kill you in your sleep.
You Have To Outwit Her
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306389/original/you-have-to-outwit-her-photo-u2?w=650&q=50&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
Some people claim they know how to escape the Slit-Mouthed Woman. One way to survive her is through distraction. By offering Kuchisake-onna money and candy, you might buy yourself just enough time to run.
But evading her deadly question can also be a matter of choosing one's words carefully. The key is to stay unruffled and calm when she asks, "Am I pretty?" You could respond, "You're ok," or, "So-so." You could also flip the question and ask, "Do you think I'm pretty?" As she pauses to consider, you can slip away.
Her Story Has A Chilling Modern Twist
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306400/original/there-is-a-second-legend-photo-u2?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
For those who believe in the more modern version of the Slit-Mouth Woman, the legend is a bit different. It tells the tale of an unstable woman who used to chase and terrify local children, eventually causing parents to complain. When police found her, she tried to escape by running straight into moving traffic and was instantly killed. Her extensive injuries included severe head trauma and facial lacerations that looked like a jagged, bloody smile.
She Terrorized Children In 1970s Nagasaki
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306395/original/she-terrorized-children-in-1970s-nagasaki-photo-u2?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
Kuchisake-onna was well-known in the Edo period of the 1600s, but she slowly faded into the shadows as time passed. Then, in the early 1970s, she returned to the public imagination with a vengeance.
Children claimed to see her everywhere around Nagasaki, Japan. The police began to fear there was a crazy killer on the loose, as panic grew with each new sighting. They bumped up night patrols and put out local warnings, but they could never seem to find her. And then, in 1979, the scares just stopped.
One Of Her Victims Called On The Devil For Help
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306391/original/one-of-her-victims-called-on-the-devil-for-help-photo-u2?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
Few people live to tell the tale after seeing Kuchisake-onna, but there are some stories from survivors. Once, a boy named Chance encountered the terrifying spirit as he was taking a shortcut through the woods. His mother had warned him to stay away from the remote area, but he didn't listen. But he did know one thing: evil spirits could be banished by certain words. When Kuchisake-onna stepped out from behind a tree and confronted him, he fell in terror, landing on his back. She gazed down at him and asked her famous question, "Am I pretty?"
As she removed her mask to reveal the horror beneath, Chance grabbed his cross necklace and chanted the devil's curse: "I banish you to the Shadow of death, I corrupt you to the netherworld from which no one has come from. In to the dirt no being should ever cross."
He had hoped she would just run away, but instead demonic hands rose from the dirt behind Kuchisake-onna and grabbed her legs, pulling her into the earth. As she sank, she told Chance, "I will be back, and I will tear you to pieces."
She Frightened A Boy To Death
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306392/original/she-broke-a-little-boy-and-_39_s-neck-photo-u2?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
Not all of Kuchisake-onna's victims are slashed. According to one urban legend, a young boy named John was walking home from school one day when the Slit-Mouthed Woman appeared in front of him and asked her eternal question. Petrified, John tried to run, but before he could go anywhere, the cold fingers of Kuchisake-onna found his neck and snapped it.
John was a strong boy and didn't die right away. The police arrived and ferried him to the hospital, where it looked as though he would survive. But then John croaked out the words "The Slit-Mouthed Woman" and died of fright.
She Tempted A Businessman With A Sweet Kiss
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001308507/original/she-tempted-a-businessman-with-a-sweet-kiss-photo-u1?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
According to one legend, a businessman named Taro went into a bar for a celebratory drink one night. There, he spotted a beautiful woman sitting alone, wearing a surgical mask. They chatted for a while, and Taro suggested they go somewhere more private. He led her into an alley and moved in for a kiss - but she stopped him with a question: "Am I beautiful?"
Her Cousin Lurks In America
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306396/original/her-cousin-lurks-in-america-photo-u3?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
The Slit-Mouthed Woman stalks the streets of Japan, but there is a similar figure within the urban myths of the United States. There were rumors of a demonic clown who would hide in public bathrooms, waiting for unsuspecting children to come in. When they did, he would grab them and ask, "Do you want death or a happy smile?" If they chose the latter, he would use his giant knife to slice their mouths, and if the chose the former, that was the end of that kid.
She Will Return Worse Than Before
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306393/original/she-will-return-worse-than-before-photo-u2?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
The legend of Kuchisake-onna predicts her eventual return to Japan one day, where she will continue to seek vengeance on the world. But when she returns again, she will no longer show any trace of the beautiful woman she once was. Instead, she will be the picture of death: decomposed, with half of her face eaten away by rot. So, when the Slit-Mouthed Woman reappears on earth, looking for an answer to her age-old query, be prepared to give her the right answer or pay the ultimate price.
Source: https://www.ranker.com/list/stories-about-kuchisake-onna-slit-mouthed-woman/jen-jeffers
When Kuchisake-onna, the Slit-Mouthed Woman, asks you a question, you better give her the right answer - or else. Among scary Japanese urban legends, she's one of the most frightening, said to brandish large scissors and prey on unsuspecting passersby. Kuchisake-onna stories detail her horrific appearance, with a jagged, bloody scar resembling a smile. Disfigured and murdered by a jealous husband, she is a malicious spirit returned from the dead who can appear anywhere at any time. She always wants to know one thing: Am I pretty?
Is Kuchisake-onna real? She's certainly captured the public imagination. Her ghastly figure appears in many Japanese ghost stories that date back as far as the Edo period of the 17th century. But whether you believe in the Slit-Mouthed Woman or not, there's no denying that stories about her send a shiver down the spine.
She Was Mutilated By Her Jealous Husband
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306390/original/she-was-mutilated-by-her-jealous-husband-photo-u2?w=650&q=50&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
As the story goes, a beautiful woman named Kuchisake was married to a man who suspected her of being unfaithful - and he was right. Kuchisake had fallen for another man, and was planning to leave her husband. Flying into a jealous rage, her husband knocked Kuchisake unconscious and tied her up. When she woke, he threatened to kill her if she left him, and used a large pair of scissors to slice her face into a permanent smile.
"Who will think you're pretty now?" he asked before slicing her head from her body. But when he was done, regret set in, and he stabbed himself to death.
She Hides In Plain Sight
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306394/original/she-blends-in-photo-u2?w=650&q=50&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
Looks are very important to Kuchisake-onna. Disfigured face aside, she appears as an attractive Asian woman with long, black hair, wearing a simple beige trench coat.
More recently, her legend has morphed to describe her as wearing a surgical mask over her mouth. It's not an uncommon accessory in Japan, given the national level of concern about infectious disease. Thanks to her innocuous appearance, the Slit-Mouthed Woman is able to blend in until she selects her prey.
There's No Right Answer To Her Question
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306388/original/there-and-_39_s-no-right-answer-to-her-question-photo-u3?w=650&q=50&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
The Slit-Mouthed Woman can come for you when you least expect it. Her mouth is always covered by a mask, fan, or scarf to hide her disfigurement, and she waits in the shadows as you pass by - and before you can react, she is in front of you and blocking your path. Holding a pair of large scissors, she asks, "Am I pretty?"
Before you can answer, she reveals her face: a mouth sliced into a hideous grin, exposing her teeth and tongue. "Am I pretty now?" she asks.
What will you say? If you say yes or try to scream, she will mercilessly slash your face so it looks just like hers. Running is no use, because Kuchisake-onna is eerily quick and might cut you in half out of anger. And if you say no to her question, she'll walk away - for now. But she will follow you home, watching your every move, and kill you in your sleep.
You Have To Outwit Her
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306389/original/you-have-to-outwit-her-photo-u2?w=650&q=50&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
Some people claim they know how to escape the Slit-Mouthed Woman. One way to survive her is through distraction. By offering Kuchisake-onna money and candy, you might buy yourself just enough time to run.
But evading her deadly question can also be a matter of choosing one's words carefully. The key is to stay unruffled and calm when she asks, "Am I pretty?" You could respond, "You're ok," or, "So-so." You could also flip the question and ask, "Do you think I'm pretty?" As she pauses to consider, you can slip away.
Her Story Has A Chilling Modern Twist
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306400/original/there-is-a-second-legend-photo-u2?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
For those who believe in the more modern version of the Slit-Mouth Woman, the legend is a bit different. It tells the tale of an unstable woman who used to chase and terrify local children, eventually causing parents to complain. When police found her, she tried to escape by running straight into moving traffic and was instantly killed. Her extensive injuries included severe head trauma and facial lacerations that looked like a jagged, bloody smile.
She Terrorized Children In 1970s Nagasaki
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306395/original/she-terrorized-children-in-1970s-nagasaki-photo-u2?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
Kuchisake-onna was well-known in the Edo period of the 1600s, but she slowly faded into the shadows as time passed. Then, in the early 1970s, she returned to the public imagination with a vengeance.
Children claimed to see her everywhere around Nagasaki, Japan. The police began to fear there was a crazy killer on the loose, as panic grew with each new sighting. They bumped up night patrols and put out local warnings, but they could never seem to find her. And then, in 1979, the scares just stopped.
One Of Her Victims Called On The Devil For Help
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306391/original/one-of-her-victims-called-on-the-devil-for-help-photo-u2?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
Few people live to tell the tale after seeing Kuchisake-onna, but there are some stories from survivors. Once, a boy named Chance encountered the terrifying spirit as he was taking a shortcut through the woods. His mother had warned him to stay away from the remote area, but he didn't listen. But he did know one thing: evil spirits could be banished by certain words. When Kuchisake-onna stepped out from behind a tree and confronted him, he fell in terror, landing on his back. She gazed down at him and asked her famous question, "Am I pretty?"
As she removed her mask to reveal the horror beneath, Chance grabbed his cross necklace and chanted the devil's curse: "I banish you to the Shadow of death, I corrupt you to the netherworld from which no one has come from. In to the dirt no being should ever cross."
He had hoped she would just run away, but instead demonic hands rose from the dirt behind Kuchisake-onna and grabbed her legs, pulling her into the earth. As she sank, she told Chance, "I will be back, and I will tear you to pieces."
She Frightened A Boy To Death
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306392/original/she-broke-a-little-boy-and-_39_s-neck-photo-u2?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
Not all of Kuchisake-onna's victims are slashed. According to one urban legend, a young boy named John was walking home from school one day when the Slit-Mouthed Woman appeared in front of him and asked her eternal question. Petrified, John tried to run, but before he could go anywhere, the cold fingers of Kuchisake-onna found his neck and snapped it.
John was a strong boy and didn't die right away. The police arrived and ferried him to the hospital, where it looked as though he would survive. But then John croaked out the words "The Slit-Mouthed Woman" and died of fright.
She Tempted A Businessman With A Sweet Kiss
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001308507/original/she-tempted-a-businessman-with-a-sweet-kiss-photo-u1?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
According to one legend, a businessman named Taro went into a bar for a celebratory drink one night. There, he spotted a beautiful woman sitting alone, wearing a surgical mask. They chatted for a while, and Taro suggested they go somewhere more private. He led her into an alley and moved in for a kiss - but she stopped him with a question: "Am I beautiful?"
Her Cousin Lurks In America
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306396/original/her-cousin-lurks-in-america-photo-u3?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
The Slit-Mouthed Woman stalks the streets of Japan, but there is a similar figure within the urban myths of the United States. There were rumors of a demonic clown who would hide in public bathrooms, waiting for unsuspecting children to come in. When they did, he would grab them and ask, "Do you want death or a happy smile?" If they chose the latter, he would use his giant knife to slice their mouths, and if the chose the former, that was the end of that kid.
She Will Return Worse Than Before
https://imgix.ranker.com/user_node_img/50066/1001306393/original/she-will-return-worse-than-before-photo-u2?w=650&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&crop=faces
The legend of Kuchisake-onna predicts her eventual return to Japan one day, where she will continue to seek vengeance on the world. But when she returns again, she will no longer show any trace of the beautiful woman she once was. Instead, she will be the picture of death: decomposed, with half of her face eaten away by rot. So, when the Slit-Mouthed Woman reappears on earth, looking for an answer to her age-old query, be prepared to give her the right answer or pay the ultimate price.