Harionago
 Modern illustration of Harionago | |
| Creature information | |
|---|---|
| Other name | Warai-onago |
| Grouping | Yokai |
| Origin | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Shikoku |
Harionago (/hɑːriːɒnɑːɡoʊ/, hah-ree-on-ah-go, "barbed woman")[1] or Warai-onago (/wɑːrɑːiːɒnɑːɡoʊ/, wah-rah-ee-oh-na-go, "laughing girl")[1] is a yokai in Japanese folklore that preys on young men.[2]
Description
Harionago appears along roads on the island of Shikoku as an attractive young woman with long black hair. The strands of her hair are prehensile and tipped with sharp barbed hooks.[1][2]
When a man approaches her on a pathway, she laughs and, if he laughs in return, she attacks the man with her barbed hair.[1] Once she has him trapped, she devours him.[3] In one story, the man was able to survive the encounter by breaking free and locking himself in his house. Harionago left many deep gashes in the wooden door before giving up.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Morrisson, Pall Thormod (22 July 2026). THE WEREWOLVES OF OSSORY & Other Weird and Macabre Curiosities. CELTICA PRESS. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Hari-onago". The Obakemono Project. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
- ↑ "Hari onago". yokai.com. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
- "Harionago". The Obakemono Project. Archived from the original on July 10, 2006. Retrieved February 26, 2006.
- "Harionago". Mizuki Road No Yōkai-tachi. Archived from the original on February 19, 2006. Retrieved June 15, 2006.