Akubi No Mushi – [ Yokai | KanNoMushi ]

• About this mushi: A red, fuzzy, sleepy snake-like worm with thin hairs that trail down its back; (its mouth is shaped as though it’s in the middle of yawning. 🥱) When it invades the infected hosts heart; it causes the host to also yawn, violently and uncontrollably! (its might not be too concerning at first but…) the worm slowly disrupts the flow of blood to their heart, which causes the host to gradually become overcome with intense fatigue and drowsiness..

• Treatment: Akubi no Mushi are eliminated by boiling a hot beverage made with the gall nuts of Japanese sumac tree. (Toxicodendron vernicifluum.)

• History: Yet another One of 63 ‘Hara No Mushi’ 疳の虫 (Bugs/Germ/Parasitic Yokai) from the “Harikikigaki” 針聞書 or “the book of needles.” – A mysterious 16th century book about acupuncture & other medical knowledge written in 1568 by a resident of Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan!

• My Observations: According to the wiki page for the Japanese sumac tree, the trees toxic sap was also used in buddhist “Sokushinbutsu” (self-mummification) ceremonies. – Admittedly I’m not yet that well versed on this subject (but there are a couple other yokai, (both modern and old) that seem to stem from the idea. (i’ll dive into it another time perhaps.) – At the moment. – i’m entirely unsure if that’s relevant to the worm in question at all or not, but it is an interesting fact none the less! 🤔 I should probably also note here at least, that sumac sap & resin is toxic and non-edible when raw! (its sap/resin is an ingredient primarily used in lacquer ware. (it seems to become harmless once it’s hardened!) – Regardless; I cannot imagine that the galls of the tree taste very good!?! – But, on that note; it does seems that the resin of Chinese lacquer trees IS used medicinally, specifically for the treatment of parasites and to help stop internal bleeding!!– So, i suppose that it might check out? (I still wouldn’t recommend drinking this on its own; unless you want a trip to the ER.) 💁‍♀️(I’m a folklorist/artist, not a doctor!!) …Personally, I think that this is perhaps the cutest of all the ‘icky worm mushi’ so far… Regardless; do be careful; it might be contagious! 🥱 zZz