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Description

There is something intrinsically misogynistic about rokurokubi.

Not only these women are cursed for the sins that aren't theirs (taking on punishment of their husbands or fathers), but many aren't even aware that there is something wrong with them, as the curse affects them only while they're sleeping.

Looking through folklore stories about many female yōkai, it is very clear they were written as a cautionary tale for parents raising their daughters to ensure these girls fit the societal norms once they enter adulthood. After all, no man wants an unruly woman for a wife, right? The problem with those stories is that for many years, Japanese women's voice was supressed, and many were stuck in terrible, toxic, abusive relationships, often without a way out. They were expected to be polite and obedient, yet with a strength to run an entire household, manage finances, and raise children. They were forced to patiently tolerate their spouses' behaviours, even when confronted with aggression, infidelity, and violence. Derogatory terms were coined for those who didn't marry early enough - and for the longest time, this was the status quo.

So, it is interesting to note - and almost subversive, really - that there is a rather feminist aspect to the 'wicked' female yōkai; they are no longer bound by the same rules as regular women, and are free to take revenge on their male spouses or relatives who made them suffer. No wonder Japanese men at the time found them terrifying

Rokurokubi aren't dangerous per se; their neck is incredibly stretchy, and allows the head to roam freely while the body is sound asleep. This allows them to travel long distances in search of lamp oil, taste of which they thoroughly enjoy. Aside from that, they aren't a cause for alarm - they don't cause grief or spread misery, nor do they actively attack people. However, in some folk stories, they do take revenge on men who are the reason for the curse. In one story, a beautiful rokurokubi avenges a murdered girl named Oyotsu by terrifying her wicked murderer, who then builds a grave for Oyotsu and prays for her soul every day.

Sadly, there doesn't seem to be a confirmed way of getting rid of the curse; seemingly, once a woman becomes rokurokubi, she will remain one until the end of her life.

Description

There is something intrinsically misogynistic about rokurokubi.

Not only these women are cursed for the sins that aren't theirs (taking on punishment of their husbands or fathers), but many aren't even aware that there is something wrong with them, as the curse affects them only while they're sleeping.

Looking through folklore stories about many female yōkai, it is very clear they were written as a cautionary tale for parents raising their daughters to ensure these girls fit the societal norms once they enter adulthood. After all, no man wants an unruly woman for a wife, right? The problem with those stories is that for many years, Japanese women's voice was supressed, and many were stuck in terrible, toxic, abusive relationships, often without a way out. They were expected to be polite and obedient, yet with a strength to run an entire household, manage finances, and raise children. They were forced to patiently tolerate their spouses' behaviours, even when confronted with aggression, infidelity, and violence. Derogatory terms were coined for those who didn't marry early enough - and for the longest time, this was the status quo.

So, it is interesting to note - and almost subversive, really - that there is a rather feminist aspect to the 'wicked' female yōkai; they are no longer bound by the same rules as regular women, and are free to take revenge on their male spouses or relatives who made them suffer. No wonder Japanese men at the time found them terrifying

Rokurokubi aren't dangerous per se; their neck is incredibly stretchy, and allows the head to roam freely while the body is sound asleep. This allows them to travel long distances in search of lamp oil, taste of which they thoroughly enjoy. Aside from that, they aren't a cause for alarm - they don't cause grief or spread misery, nor do they actively attack people. However, in some folk stories, they do take revenge on men who are the reason for the curse. In one story, a beautiful rokurokubi avenges a murdered girl named Oyotsu by terrifying her wicked murderer, who then builds a grave for Oyotsu and prays for her soul every day.

Sadly, there doesn't seem to be a confirmed way of getting rid of the curse; seemingly, once a woman becomes rokurokubi, she will remain one until the end of her life.