Who is Yamanba? (Japanese Yokai)

Have you ever heard or had curiosity about who Yamanba is? Yamanba is a Yokai with the appearance of an elderly woman, of which countless scary stories have been told to adults and children in Japan.

In this article, we would like to talk about this Yokai.

Also, we would love to talk about this Yokai appearance in Nioh 2.

Who is Yamanba? (Japanese Yokai)

Yamanba (山姥) Translated to English would be something like “Old hag from the Mountain” Is a Yokai that resembles an elderly and fragile woman living alone in the desolated mountains in Japan.

Encounters with Yamanba

There are countless stories about encounters with Yamanba, many utterly terrifying and others, simply bizarre, unexpected sightings.

The Mountains have always been beautiful places to explore. Japan’s geography is mostly mountainous, making up to 74 percent of the entire archipelago fully covered in them.

Many of these stories were told to warn travelers of the natural dangers that can be found inside the mountains, such as dangerous and unstable terrains or wildlife that live in them.

People were told to be extremely cautious if they crossed paths with an elderly woman deep inside the mountains. Another mentions an encounter with a beautiful young woman appearing out of nowhere, offering you help when she sees you lost and in trouble. For most people, having this kind of encounter will feel significantly suspicious.

Those unaware of her intentions and who fall victim to her generous offer of help find themselves in situations from which very few were able to escape and live to tell their horrific survival story.

In many of these cases, the victims who escaped the deathly Yamanba describe that at first they were approached by a kind old lady, asking the victim if they needed any help.

There are occasions where Yamanba disguises herself as a beautiful young woman, often inviting tired and unsuspected travelers to a meal and a place to spend the night.

What Yamanba do once you accept her invitation to help?

This Yokai is very clever when it comes to catching her prey. She tells the victim they could spend the night at her house and mentions that she can provide a good meal and a place to sleep.

If you accept her invitation and arrive at her house, you notice that she lives all on her own but strangely enough, she has a good deal of kitchenware and tableware, quite suspicious for a single old lady to have. Not only that, for living alone herself, you notice the many futons she has. Nothing to worry about. She is a kind old lady who helps a lot of visitors who get stranded in the mountains, a traveler might say.

After a delicious meal and a good hot bath, she invites you to your room, where she has prepared a comfy futon to rest peacefully throughout the night.

After you are sound asleep during the wee hours, some survivors describe waking up to a frightening scene. An eerie sound coming from outside your room.

The woman is gracefully sharpening her kitchen knife as if preparing a good meal for herself. That special meal is none other than you.

It is not known how cruel Yamanba’s methods were when she devoured her victims, but the few that survived and miraculously escaped can only recall that frightening scene when they saw this Yokai’s true monstrous appearance.

Yamanba in Nioh 2

Yamanba appears in one of our favorite video games, Nioh 2.

The old hag with long, unkempt white hair. Skinny and always holding a kitchen knife.

Fighting a Yamanba in Nioh 2

She doesn’t seem to be a thread but watch out for that knife of hers. It is easy to anticipate her movements. One of her outburst attacks is quite useless if you know how to avoid it. Bring salt with you and throw it at her to lower her defenses.

Some pictures of Yamanba in Nioh 2

What is a Gaki? (Japanese Yokai)

In this article, we’ll explore the origins of Gaki, their depiction in Japanese folklore, and how this ancient concept still influences modern culture.

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2024.10.18