'Deadly spirits' evil spirits in Japanese culture

This is one of those evil spirits that makes Japanese people terrified .

Funayūrei is a strange devil in Japanese culture, it does not simply exist in folk tales, but also appears in different historical periods.

The dead ghost knows revenge

In Japanese folklore , Funayūrei is said to be the souls of people drowning in shipwrecks. Because they were so unjustly, they decided to stay in the human world with the aim of creating many dead people like me.

Each locality in Japan has a different description of Funayūrei. There were areas, they were described as ghosts floating on the surface of the sea, where another thought that Funayūrei was a sailor on a ghost ship, and an area talked about Funayūrei like a devil in a river or swamp.

In each locality, there are different descriptions of the shape of Funayūrei

Funayūrei often appears on a full moon night or on a stormy day. When they appear often bring a cry of resentment and strange lights. The most common way Funayūrei used to sink ships was to approach and asked the crew of a bucket to draw water.

If the foolish crew threw the bin for Funayūrei, they would scoop up the water and fill the poor ship with tremendous speed. Soon, the boat quickly filled the water and sank to the deep sea. Funayūrei's way of escaping from this horrific attack was to throw the rice ball into the sea or give Funayūrei a bottomless crate.

Some localities also described Funayūrei as extremely wise demons. On foggy evenings, Funayūrei seeks to drive ships crashing into cliffs, or not, turning themselves into a boat rushing towards the victim's boat. The weak heart will startle, trying to avoid but accidentally plunge into a dangerous coral reef.

In addition, in some documents mentioned, Funayūrei set fire on the sea with many rocks to mislead the boats. Fishermen mistakenly believe the land is ahead and sail into that dangerous sea.

Funayūrei often asked for a box and used it as a weapon to drown an entire ship

Funayūrei is so aggressive that Japanese fishermen are very afraid of this ghost. They think of the custom to avoid, or beg the evil ghosts to ignore it. Fishermen in some areas still have the concept, the fog is the sign of Funayūrei, on the very humid days they will stay at home, or change the route in a safer direction.

If you are in the sea and meet bad weather, the fishermen will burn incense, do the ceremony, throw in the sea of ​​rice, paper money . to "bribe" the Funayūrei. Each region, Funayūrei also added rules about offerings to the sea for Funayūrei. In Kochi Prefecture, offerings will be incense and 49 rice cakes, other places are parked, in Nagasaki are woven carpets, ash and firewood.

The occurrences in the history of Funayūrei

Not only a ghost in folk tales, Funayūrei also appeared in the story recorded in historical documents that made the listener shudder.

But all have in common the description that Funayūrei was caused by those who died unjustly on the sea

In 1185, after the Battle of Dan-No-Ura, the Taira clan was exterminated, those who passed through Shimonoseki Bay heard the sound of resentment.

Some fishermen often see images of iron armor people swimming on the sea and always shouting: 'Lend me a box'.

The people were terrified, they did not dare to go through this sea or if they did, they also took on many boats. The chaos only ends when a monk uses magic to exterminate the souls of soldiers in Shimonoseki Bay.

In 1954, a serious maritime accident in Japan occurred with Toya Maru. When examining the boat in distress, experts found many traces of strange hands on the propeller.

From here, rumors about the victims in the accident turned into Funayūrei and raked claws into the propeller. Shortly afterwards in Hokkaido a rumor appeared, in the middle of the night, a woman would appear by the beach, her body was wet and her mouth muttered the word 'Toya Maru'.

Funayūrei is very cruel, so the seafarers often bring offerings to ask for their forgiveness

In addition, in 1969, in the waters of Kanagawa Prefecture, many people observed a few people with white skin swimming in the night in the coastal waters.

Many fishermen on the train heard a creepy voice "Give me a bucket" . More frightening, not long ago, a yacht was sunk and drowned many innocent people.

Of course, the mystery of these "ghosts" is still left open and no research evidence has shown that this is a devil, rather than simply an accident caused by humans.