【 The Tale of Kudasho 】Classic Japanese Folktale

In this eerie folktale, an old woman possessed by the invisible Kudasho spirit tells of events she couldn’t possibly know, leading to an exorcism.

Japanese Title: Kudashou no hanashi / くだしょうの話
Translation: The Tale of Kudasho
Location: Nagano Prefecture / 長野県

Contents

The Story of 【 The Tale of Kudasho 】

In the past, it was said that one should never tap the edge of the rice container with the rice paddle. This was not only considered bad manners, but also because it was believed to attract the “Kudasho.”

Kudasho is an invisible, fearsome creature, resembling a fox, said to possess bedridden people. It could freely enter and leave a human body, causing mischief outside before returning to its host.

There’s a story about a Kudasho that attached itself to a bedridden old man. It boasted about visiting a young girl named Biko, sitting on her chest while she slept, and enjoying her struggle to breathe.

It was often said that children who died young were taken by the Kudasho after it had disturbed them.

Now, this is a true story I heard from my mother. When my mother was young, there was a bedridden great-grandmother in her family.

One day, she started saying strange things like, “Today, I stopped by Mr. C’s house and had some of his delicious botamochi (sweet rice cakes).” The family thought it odd, as the great-grandmother couldn’t walk. When they mentioned this to Mr. C, he was shocked, saying, “That’s strange, we did have botamochi today. How could she know?”

Worried, the family called a Shisho, a person known to exorcise Kudasho. The Shisho came with a special exorcism tool. During the ritual, the Kudasho left the great-grandmother’s body and moved into the Shisho. The Shisho then ran outside barefoot, throwing the tool far away, as it’s believed that Kudasho leaves with the tool when it’s thrown.

The great-grandmother was freed from Kudasho, but the danger wasn’t entirely gone. If a person dies while possessed by Kudasho, the part of the body it inhabited remains warm.

Years later, when the great-grandmother passed away, her right shoulder area remained warm for a long time.

And that’s the story.

Notes

Cultural Background

Supernatural Beliefs in Daily Life

The story reflects the deeply ingrained supernatural beliefs in Japanese culture, where everyday actions, like how one handles a rice paddle, are thought to have spiritual consequences.

Folklore and Health

The concept of Kudasho attaching to bedridden individuals illustrates a traditional understanding of illness and misfortune, often attributed to malevolent spirits in Japanese folklore.

Exorcism Practices

The involvement of a Shisho to exorcise the Kudasho indicates the role of spiritual practitioners in dealing with supernatural entities, a common practice in various Japanese communities.