Tokyo, a night shrouded in thick fog. The dim streetlights flicker, and shadows creep through narrow alleyways. You quicken your pace, sensing someone watching you. Then, a figure emerges from the mistāa woman in a long black coat, standing motionless under the weak glow of a streetlamp. Her face is hidden beneath a mask. Her posture is stiff, but her piercing gaze cuts straight through you.
And then, in a voice as hollow as the night, she asks:
š¬ “Am I beautiful?”
The air freezes. A seemingly innocent question, yet something feels terribly, terribly wrong.
Kuchisake-onna ā Japanās Bloody Smile
The legend of Kuchisake-onna has haunted Japan for centuries. One version of the tale says she was once the wife of a powerful samurai, but her beauty became her curse. Consumed by jealousy and suspicion of betrayal, the samurai drew his sword and slashed her mouth from ear to ear, sneering:
š¬ “Who will find you beautiful now?”
She died filled with hatred, unable to pass on. Since then, she has wandered the empty streets, searching for an answer to a question no one dares to answer.
Kuchisake-onna appears on foggy nights, lurking in deserted streets. If she spots someone walking alone, she approaches silently, her eyes glowing in the darkness.
If you say “No,” your fate will mirror the gashes on her face.
If you say “Yes,” the mask will slip, revealing a grotesque, ear-to-ear smileālonger than your lifespan.
And you will never get another chance.
The Legend That Terrified Japan
In 1979, rumors of Kuchisake-onna spread like wildfire across Japan. Students were so terrified that they refused to walk to school alone. Some claimed to have seen her standing by school gates, staring into the crowd.
The panic grew so intense that the police launched an investigation. Though no concrete evidence was found, reports kept flooding in. The stories became even more chilling:
š She can appear behind you in an instant.
šŖ Hidden in the sleeves of her coat are not just scissors, but surgical knives, sicklesā¦ And if you manage to catch a glimpse of them, itās already too late.
In 2007, a horrifying discovery reignited the legend. Police found records of a real woman whose face had been slashed in a similar manner. She had died long ago, yet the tales of Kuchisake-onna surged back with newfound terror.
Was she merely an urban myth, or is her vengeful spirit still lurking, waiting for another unfortunate victim?
What to Do If You Encounter Kuchisake-onna?
Kuchisake-onna has an unusual weakness: hard candy. Toss a few pieces to the ground, and she will stop to pick them upāgiving you enough time to escape.
Or, if youāre quick-witted, answer with: “What do you think?”āhoping she gets trapped in her own question.
But if it were me, and a masked woman asked me something like that, Iād simply reply:
šāāļø “Iām handsome, but Iām not easy. Bye-bye!”
Kuchisake-onna ā The Ghost That Remains
Among the crowds in Tokyo, she could still be there. A woman in a mask, her long black hair covering half her face. She might be standing next to you on the subway, or crossing the street in front of you at midnight.
You might not notice her.
But if she stops, looks straight into your eyes, and asks a familiar questionā¦
š¬ “Am I beautiful?”
How will you answer?
š Think carefullyābecause one wrong answer might just be your last.
