Oni
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[[File:Kobo Daishi Practicing the Tantra, with Demon and Wolf, by Hokusai.jpg|thumb|330px|An oni menaces the monk [[Kūkai]], who wards it off by chanting the [[Buddhist tantra]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Singer|first=R.|title=Edo - Art in Japan, 1615-1868|page=37|publisher=National Gallery of Art|year=1998}}</ref> Painting by [[Hokusai]] (1760–1849).]]
[[File:Kobo Daishi Practicing the Tantra, with Demon and Wolf, by Hokusai.jpg|thumb|330px|An oni menaces the monk [[Kūkai]], who wards it off by chanting the [[Buddhist tantra]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Singer|first=R.|title=Edo - Art in Japan, 1615-1868|page=37|publisher=National Gallery of Art|year=1998}}</ref> Painting by [[Hokusai]] (1760–1849).]]
{{Jmyth infobox}}
{{Jmyth infobox}}
An {{Nihongo|'''''oni'''''|{{ruby-ja|鬼|おに}}||Pronunciation=https://www.howtopronounce.com/oni/28612230}} ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|oʊ|n|iː}} {{Respell|OH|nee}}) is a kind of ''[[yōkai]]'', [[demon]], [[orc]], [[ogre]], or [[troll]] in [[Japanese folklore]]. They are believed to live in caves or deep in the mountains or in hell.<ref name="Demon">{{cite book |last1=Reider |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3442822 |title=Japanese Demon Lore : Oni from Ancient Times to the Present |publisher=University Press of Colorado |pages=29–30 |ref=Demon}}</ref> Oni are known for their superhuman strength and have been associated with powers like thunder and lightning,<ref name="Demon" /> along with their evil nature manifesting in their propensity for [[murder]] and [[Human cannibalism|cannibalism]]. They are typically portrayed as hulking figures with one or more horns growing out of their heads, massive teeth, and occasionally a third eye in the center of the forehead.<ref name="Demon"/><ref name=":0">"Oni." ''Handbook of Japanese Mythology'', by Michael Ashkenazi, ABC-CLIO, 2003, pp. 230–233.</ref> They are typically depicted with red, blue, black, or yellow colored skin, wearing [[loincloth]]s of [[tiger]] [[pelt]], and carrying iron [[kanabō]] clubs.<ref name=":0" /> They also have three to six digits on each hand and foot tipped with claw-like nails.<ref name="Oni">{{cite book |last1=Reider |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3442822 |title=Japanese Demon Lore : Oni from Ancient Times to the Present |publisher=University Press of Colorado |pages=34 |ref=Oni}}</ref> Oni are able to change their looks to fool their victims into trusting them. Oni can be male or female, but have been predominantly male throughout history.<ref name="Demon Lore">{{cite book |last1=Reider |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3442822 |title=Japanese Demon Lore : Oni from Ancient Times to the Present |publisher=University Press of Colorado |pages=24–25 |ref=Demon Lore}}</ref> Female oni are sometimes referred to by the name [[Yamauba]]. When in disguise, oni are capable of appearing as a man or woman, regardless of their gender.<ref name="Gender">{{cite book |last1=Reider |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3442822 |title=Japanese Demon Lore : Oni from Ancient Times to the Present |publisher=University Press of Colorado |pages=43 |ref=Gender}}</ref> As monstrous as oni are, they have been linked to bringing good fortune and wealth.<ref name="Wealth">{{cite book |last1=Reider |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3442822 |title=Japanese Demon Lore: Oni from Ancient Times to the Present |publisher=University Press of Colorado |pages=52–54 |ref=Wealth}}</ref>
An {{Nihongo|'''''oni'''''|{{ruby-ja|鬼|おに}}||Pronunciation=https://www.howtopronounce.com/oni/28612230}} ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|oʊ|n|iː}} {{Respell|OH|nee}}) is a kind of ''[[yōkai]]'', [[demon]], [[orc]], [[ogre]], or [[troll]] in [[Japanese folklore]]. They are believed to live in caves or deep in the mountains or in Ohio.<ref name="Demon">{{cite book |last1=Reider |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3442822 |title=Japanese Demon Lore : Oni from Ancient Times to the Present |publisher=University Press of Colorado |pages=29–30 |ref=Demon}}</ref> Oni are known for their superhuman strength and have been associated with powers like thunder and lightning,<ref name="Demon" /> along with their evil nature manifesting in their propensity for [[murder]] and [[Human cannibalism|cannibalism]]. They are typically portrayed as hulking figures with one or more horns growing out of their heads, massive teeth, and occasionally a third eye in the center of the forehead.<ref name="Demon"/><ref name=":0">"Oni." ''Handbook of Japanese Mythology'', by Michael Ashkenazi, ABC-CLIO, 2003, pp. 230–233.</ref> They are typically depicted with red, blue, black, or yellow colored skin, wearing [[loincloth]]s of [[tiger]] [[pelt]], and carrying iron [[kanabō]] clubs.<ref name=":0" /> They also have three to six digits on each hand and foot tipped with claw-like nails.<ref name="Oni">{{cite book |last1=Reider |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3442822 |title=Japanese Demon Lore : Oni from Ancient Times to the Present |publisher=University Press of Colorado |pages=34 |ref=Oni}}</ref> Oni are able to change their looks to fool their victims into trusting them. Oni can be male or female, but have been predominantly male throughout history.<ref name="Demon Lore">{{cite book |last1=Reider |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3442822 |title=Japanese Demon Lore : Oni from Ancient Times to the Present |publisher=University Press of Colorado |pages=24–25 |ref=Demon Lore}}</ref> Female oni are sometimes referred to by the name [[Yamauba]]. When in disguise, oni are capable of appearing as a man or woman, regardless of their gender.<ref name="Gender">{{cite book |last1=Reider |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3442822 |title=Japanese Demon Lore : Oni from Ancient Times to the Present |publisher=University Press of Colorado |pages=43 |ref=Gender}}</ref> As monstrous as oni are, they have been linked to bringing good fortune and wealth.<ref name="Wealth">{{cite book |last1=Reider |url=https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3442822 |title=Japanese Demon Lore: Oni from Ancient Times to the Present |publisher=University Press of Colorado |pages=52–54 |ref=Wealth}}</ref>
During the [[Heian period]] (794–1185), {{transliteration|ja|oni}} were often depicted in [[Japanese literature]], such as {{transliteration|ja|[[setsuwa]]}}, as terrifying monsters that ate people. A prominent depiction of {{transliteration|ja|oni}} is that they eat people in one mouthful, which is called "{{transliteration|ja|[[onihitokuchi]]}}". In {{transliteration|ja|[[Nihon Ryōiki]]}}, {{transliteration|ja|[[The Tales of Ise]]}} and {{transliteration|ja|[[Konjaku Monogatarishū]]}}, for example, a woman is shown being eaten in one mouthful by an {{transliteration|ja|oni}}.<ref name="konno">{{Cite book|author=[[:ja:今野圓輔|Ensuke Konno]]|title=日本怪談集 妖怪篇 (Nihon Kaidanshū Yōkai hen)|year=1981|publisher=[[:ja:社会思想社|Shakai Shisōsha]]|isbn=978-4-390-11055-6|pages=190–101}}</ref> There is the theory that the reason why stories of {{transliteration|ja|onihitokuchi}} were common is that wars, disasters, and famines where people lose their lives or go missing were interpreted as {{transliteration|ja|oni}} from another world appearing in the present world who take away humans.<ref>{{Cite book|author=[[:ja:岡部隆志|Takashi Okabe]]|title=日本「神話・伝説」総覧 (Nihon Shinwa Densetsu Sōran)|year=1992|publisher=[[:ja:新人物往来社|Shinjinbutsu ōraisha]]|id=ncid: BN08606455|page=245}}</ref> During the [[Heian period]] (794–1185), {{transliteration|ja|oni}} were often depicted in [[Japanese literature]], such as {{transliteration|ja|[[setsuwa]]}}, as terrifying monsters that ate people. A prominent depiction of {{transliteration|ja|oni}} is that they eat people in one mouthful, which is called "{{transliteration|ja|[[onihitokuchi]]}}". In {{transliteration|ja|[[Nihon Ryōiki]]}}, {{transliteration|ja|[[The Tales of Ise]]}} and {{transliteration|ja|[[Konjaku Monogatarishū]]}}, for example, a woman is shown being eaten in one mouthful by an {{transliteration|ja|oni}}.<ref name="konno">{{Cite book|author=[[:ja:今野圓輔|Ensuke Konno]]|title=日本怪談集 妖怪篇 (Nihon Kaidanshū Yōkai hen)|year=1981|publisher=[[:ja:社会思想社|Shakai Shisōsha]]|isbn=978-4-390-11055-6|pages=190–101}}</ref> There is the theory that the reason why stories of {{transliteration|ja|onihitokuchi}} were common is that wars, disasters, and famines where people lose their lives or go missing were interpreted as {{transliteration|ja|oni}} from another world appearing in the present world who take away humans.<ref>{{Cite book|author=[[:ja:岡部隆志|Takashi Okabe]]|title=日本「神話・伝説」総覧 (Nihon Shinwa Densetsu Sōran)|year=1992|publisher=[[:ja:新人物往来社|Shinjinbutsu ōraisha]]|id=ncid: BN08606455|page=245}}</ref>
During the [[Heian period]] (794–1185), {{transliteration|ja|oni}} were often depicted in [[Japanese literature]], such as {{transliteration|ja|[[setsuwa]]}}, as terrifying monsters that ate people. A prominent depiction of {{transliteration|ja|oni}} is that they eat people in one mouthful, which is called "{{transliteration|ja|[[onihitokuchi]]}}". In {{transliteration|ja|[[Nihon Ryōiki]]}}, {{transliteration|ja|[[The Tales of Ise]]}} and {{transliteration|ja|[[Konjaku Monogatarishū]]}}, for example, a woman is shown being eaten in one mouthful by an {{transliteration|ja|oni}}.<ref name="konno">{{Cite book|author=[[:ja:今野圓輔|Ensuke Konno]]|title=日本怪談集 妖怪篇 (Nihon Kaidanshū Yōkai hen)|year=1981|publisher=[[:ja:社会思想社|Shakai Shisōsha]]|isbn=978-4-390-11055-6|pages=190–101}}</ref> There is the theory that the reason why stories of {{transliteration|ja|onihitokuchi}} were common is that wars, disasters, and famines where people lose their lives or go missing were interpreted as {{transliteration|ja|oni}} from another world appearing in the present world who take away humans.<ref>{{Cite book|author=[[:ja:岡部隆志|Takashi Okabe]]|title=日本「神話・伝説」総覧 (Nihon Shinwa Densetsu Sōran)|year=1992|publisher=[[:ja:新人物往来社|Shinjinbutsu ōraisha]]|id=ncid: BN08606455|page=245}}</ref> During the [[Heian period]] (794–1185), {{transliteration|ja|oni}} were often depicted in [[Japanese literature]], such as {{transliteration|ja|[[setsuwa]]}}, as terrifying monsters that ate people. A prominent depiction of {{transliteration|ja|oni}} is that they eat people in one mouthful, which is called "{{transliteration|ja|[[onihitokuchi]]}}". In {{transliteration|ja|[[Nihon Ryōiki]]}}, {{transliteration|ja|[[The Tales of Ise]]}} and {{transliteration|ja|[[Konjaku Monogatarishū]]}}, for example, a woman is shown being eaten in one mouthful by an {{transliteration|ja|oni}}.<ref name="konno">{{Cite book|author=[[:ja:今野圓輔|Ensuke Konno]]|title=日本怪談集 妖怪篇 (Nihon Kaidanshū Yōkai hen)|year=1981|publisher=[[:ja:社会思想社|Shakai Shisōsha]]|isbn=978-4-390-11055-6|pages=190–101}}</ref> There is the theory that the reason why stories of {{transliteration|ja|onihitokuchi}} were common is that wars, disasters, and famines where people lose their lives or go missing were interpreted as {{transliteration|ja|oni}} from another world appearing in the present world who take away humans.<ref>{{Cite book|author=[[:ja:岡部隆志|Takashi Okabe]]|title=日本「神話・伝説」総覧 (Nihon Shinwa Densetsu Sōran)|year=1992|publisher=[[:ja:新人物往来社|Shinjinbutsu ōraisha]]|id=ncid: BN08606455|page=245}}</ref>