Wikipedia Trail: From Yurei (Japanese Ghosts) To The Ring

 

Starting Point: Yurei (Japanese Ghost):

    I chose this topic because I'm in a Halloween mood! I'm excited to watch scary movies and read some spooky tales. This week, I read a Japanese fairy tale about a man-eating goblin. I wanted to find out more about Japanese horror myths. I started with ghosts since I think they have significance in the Shinto religion. 

Point #2: Onryo (Vengeful Japanese Ghost): 

I think it's cool that they have different classification for ghosts. Based on how the ghost died or why they return to haunt people, the ghost is different. Since I'm in a scary mood, I wanted to know more about ghosts that come back because something wrong happened to them (they have to get vengeance!).  This is a ghost that is capable of killing/ causing harm to living beings. They can even cause natural disasters.  

Point #3: Yotsuya Kaidan (Famous ghost story of Oiwa and Tamiya):  

This point I chose because of the picture! How creepy! This is supposed to be the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time. It has over 30 different film adaptations. It's a story of a onryo ghost (oiwa). It's a pretty long story: but here's a link to a quick version. Oiwa is poisoned and killed by her husband. The poison leaves her disfigured (as seen in the picture), and she comes back to get revenge on her husband!

Point #4 (End):  The Ring (1998 Japanese horror film)

I have never actually seen this movie! But I've heard that the US version is supposed to be good. I'm sure the Japanese version is also amazing. I think i'll have to make plans to watch it for the first time this year. This is the movie with the cursed VHS tape. If you watch it, a ghost come out to kill you within 7 days. Apparently, the main ghost pays homage to Oiwa (the diseviled hair and the drooping left eye).    

Image Information:
Portrait of Oiwa
Woodblock, by Utagawa Kuniyoshi 
Found on :Wikipedia