Kyōkotsu – 狂骨 – [Yokai]

Description

Kyōkotsu – 狂骨- Crazy bones

•About this Yokai: Kyōkotsu seems to be a pretty standard well ghost: generally speaking wells are quite often portrayed as a convenient place to toss a body. if you’re a murderer, as well as an easy accident/suicide spot. – tale as old as time. – Someone chucked this poor corpse down a deep bottomless well. Over time, their bones became bleach white: and it now holds an ‘extremely fierce violent and terrible’ grudge due to an improper burial. its spirit rises up at an extreme speed & pops out like a jack in the box scaring people that walk by.

•History and Early Appearances: Kyōkotsu was included in Toriyama Sekins Konjaku hyakki shui ( – “Kyōkotsu” is pronounced closely to old words meaning “Fierce”, “Furious”, “Extreme” or “Violent” –  in short “Mad/Crazy.” – its a combination of old words and regional dialect with similar sounds and associations to death, madness, bones and wells. – Toriyama Sekien was a fan of word play, puns & visual gags, this is one of those yokai which he invented as an origin of the included proverb, essentially filling in a blank in an attempt to create folklore.

This yokai is also sometimes labeled as “Tsurube-onna” in other words, “Well bucket Woman.” –But, Suprisingly, this yokai seems to have no relation to that famous well ghost, Sadako! …oh well.

Sticker Art by @Samkalensky (yo thats me!) – Part of my Night parade of 100 Demons – Yokai & Japanese folklore sticker collection, weather-resistant 4″ Glossy sticker. Check my shop & follow @samkalensky for many more!