To round out this month’s obakemono menagerie, I thought I’d present a horror of urban legend: kuchisake-onna, or literally: “split-mouth woman.”

I first learned about kuchisake-onna from a friend, when I lived in Japan, who told me the mysterious tale of a seemingly beautiful woman you might meet while alone, at night, on a dark city street. The woman–apparently suffering a cold, given the surgical mask she’s wearing–will ask you: “Do you think I’m pretty?” Upon hearing your reply, she’ll rip off her mask to reveal a hideously extended mouth that would put a Glasgow smile to shame, after which she’ll chase you down with something sharp. In short, she’s the Japanese Hook Man.

I was inspired to post about this ghoul by seeing a link (at Pink Tentacle) earlier this week to Matthew Meyer’s “A Yokai-a-Day” series of art blog posts, in which was included a wonderfully creepy painting of the aforementioned specter, and loads of other yokai. I had no idea the kuchisake-onna had a history before her resurgence as an urban legend, but Mr. Meyer’s write-up revealed both the split-mouth woman’s past and the gorier details of how an encounter with her can play out.

So, check out the Yokai-a-Day post, and be careful who you run into this Halloween night!

I intended to toss up a post earlier in the month about this, but better late–and on Halloween–than never. The “monster umbrella” mentioned by Arisa and Colin in this 2011 Halloween storyline is a reference to the infamous karakasa, which is, as Arisa mentions, a common household item brought to life through great age (specifically, if memory serves, on its 100th “birthday”). For a bit more about the karakasa, check out the Obakemono Project. You can read up on some other tsukumogami yokai while you’re there. (As if surfing the Internet tonight were better than soliciting your neighbors for candy under veiled threat of mischief.)