Nozuchi - [Yokai]

Nozuchi - [yokai] - (野槌) "Wild Mallet"

• About this yokai:  Nozuchi are fat, poisonous, worm or snake-like yokai, said to be ancient nature spirits. They are covered in a fine bristly fur and have a thick stumpy body which is equally thick from mouth to tail, most notably they have a large, gaping maw and are lacking any other notable features (such as eyes, nose, hands or legs.) [making them somewhat resemble a mallet without its handle, hence the name.] - It's said that they can swallow creatures several times their own size in a single bite, their main pray are usually small game such as young deer, squirrels, or rabbits, but they are also known to attack human beings: Their method of attack involves waiting in trees in the brush of forested hills and mountains; when a person walks by, they will roll down the hillside for a surprise attack, biting at their legs (attempting to swallow them whole) A Nozuchis bites is incredibly vicious and especially toxic, those who are bitten by a rolling Nozuchi, will soon die of a deadly high fever. 

It's sometimes said that monks who perform without virtue, are either reborn, or transform into Nozuchi, or that Nozuchi can assume a faceless human shape (similar to a nopperabo.) Along side Otoroshi and Nurariyon, Nozuchi are said to be one of the leaders of the Hyakki Yagyo: (night parade of 100 demons.)

The Cryptid/UMA known as 'Tsuchinoko' is said to have gotten its name because of its resemblance to this yokai.

• History & Early appearances: Nozuchi are one of the oldest & earliest recognized yokai and are recognized in books as far back as the Nihon-Shoki (720, Heian period.) - They where perhaps most famously depicted in early Yokai encyclopedias such as: Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki in 1779 by Toriyama Sekien and earlier in 1712's nature encyclopedia: Wakan Sanzai Zue. - A humanoid nozuchi also makes an appearance in "妖怪仕内評判記" a collection of strange stories, published in 1779. - The short passage in Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki and Sekien's illustration of. the creature go as follows: 

"The Nozuchi is a spirit of flora and greenery. The Nozuchi described in sand and pebbles has neither nose nor eyes"

The book referenced, is the Shasekishū (沙石集)(Sand and Pebbles.) published in 1283 a much earlier collection of Buddhist parables & short stories, the section mentioning nozuchi (according to Japandemonium 2016) translates as follows:

"The body is large, and they say it has neither hands, nose, eyes, nor feet. They say it has only a mouth, and that it feeds on human beings. A monk who died had studied Buddhism for the sake of honor and profit… His mouth was clever, but he did not have the eyes of wisdom, the hands of faith, nor the legs of righteous behaviour. And so he was reborn as this fearsome thing."

in a nutshell; its a cautionary tale where in those who study with only profit and fame in mind and speak without heeding what they preach, those without virtue are said to be reborn as Nozuchi... 

Nozuchi takes on a humanoid appearance as a faceless monk with a mouth on the top of its head in the Edo period Book "妖怪仕内評判記" (Yōkai shinai hibanki) a collection of strange yokai stories. - Notably it appears along side a Nopperabo & several transformed henge yokai; such as a Nekomata playing the flute, a bowing mujina & a fat bellied tanuki. it seems to be well respected, as A kitsune is feeding the Nozuchi riceballs. – (unfortunately i am unable to translate what this story might be about.)

As said, Nozuchi where also mentioned in Wakan Sanzai Zue, a pictorial nature encyclopedia first published in 1712. - (Nozuchi appears to be snake-like & is placed among other reptiles, right next to an entry on dragons!) - The encyclopedia claims that Nozuchi are commonly found in the Natsumi River, Yamatto prefecture, They are about 15 centimeters in diameter and only about one meter long, they are the same thickness from head to tail, and  they roll down the hill to attack humans, it also mentions that they are slow to climb uphill, so it is said that if you encounter one, you should run to a higher place.

In modern day (since the 1960's) The famous 'Fat Snake' Cryptid/UMA; 'Tsuchinoko' is said to have gotten its name because of its resemblance to early depictions of this yokai, It behaves similarly (notably, tumbling down the sides of mountains and is also said to have a toxic bite.) some people believe they are the same thing or use the names interchangeably.

[from the Yaan-sōmoku-tsūshi (野山草木通志 [1792-1859] an early witness sketch of a Nozuchi/Tsuchinoko.]

• Similar yokai: Tsuchikorobi, Tsuchinoko.

[Art sticker by Samkalensky (yo thats me!) part of my night parade of 100 demons yokai sticker collection! follow my shop and support for many more!]