The Maiden Slayer
Mt. Hikami has long been steeped in legends revolving around suicide and ghosts.
Revered as a sacred place since time immemorial, it was once the worshipping ground and home of many shrine maidens.
Once, there was a man who fell in love with a maiden, and came to the mountain in order to court her. However, she remained loyal to her duties and refused his advances.
Enraged, the man killed her and threw her into the river.
Several days later, he returned with a torch and blade, and proceeded to brutally butcher all the shrine maidens on the mountain, tossing them into the river as he went.
The waters of the mountain flowed red with blood, carrying the slaughtered corpses of the maidens all the way down to the Pool of Purification.
It is said that the eyes of each of the shrine maidens had been gouged out.
Just before killing the first maiden and tossing her into the river, the man's eyes met with those of his victim. Something in her eyes led him to murder the others, or so the legend goes.
With all the maidens dead, he killed himself by cutting his own throat.
The ghosts of shrine maidens, still drenched in those bloodied waters, have appeared on the mountain ever since.
It is said that those who meet their eyes are led to their deaths; they follow the women into the water and drown themselves.
Though only a legend, the story is believed to be based on an actual incident.
Local records show that the bodies of several shrine maidens were discovered long ago, and that all rituals and rites ceased to be performed from that day on.
The Maiden Slayer
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The Maiden Slayer | |
| |
| Kanji | 巫女殺しの伝説 みこ ごろし の でんせつ |
| Game | Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water |
| Author | Unknown |
| Chapter | Third Drop: Postmortem Photography |
| Located at | Hojo House, Study |
| Obtained | On the bookshelf |
| Description | A book about Mt. Hikami folklore. It refers to the ghosts of shrine maidens and their killer. |
| Additional Description | I came across this book while researching Mt. Hikami. I don't think this story has anything to do with what's going on now, but you never know. |
| Related Notes | |
「巫女殺し」の伝説
自殺の名所と呼ばれる、心霊スポットでは
昔からある伝説が伝わっている。
昔、霊山とされて崇められていたその山には、
たくさんの巫女たちが住み、山の祭事は全て
その巫女たちによって執り行われていた。
あるとき、巫女に恋をしてしまった男が山へ
分け入り、巫女に言い寄ったが、神に仕える
巫女はその男の申し出を断った。
男は怒り、その巫女を殺し、川へ流した。
その数日後、男は松明と鉈を手に突如山に
現れ、山にいる巫女を全て惨殺し、同じよ
うに川へ流した。
山の水は巫女の血で赤黒く濁り、禊ヶ淵と
呼ばれる淵には大量の巫女の遺体が流れ
着いた。
その巫女たちの目は、すべて潰されていた
という。
男は、最初に殺した巫女を川に
流したとき、その巫女の目を見てしまった。
巫女の目に魅入られた男は、その目を恐れ、
他の巫女たちを殺したのだ。
全ての巫女を殺した男は、その場で
自らの首をはね、自害した。
それ以後、山には全身が濡れた巫女の霊が
現れ、訪れた者を死へと誘う。
その目を見た者は巫女と共に水に入り、
自殺してしまうと言われている。
この巫女殺しの伝説は実際にあった事件を
モチーフにしていると言われている。
地元の古い記録には、多くの巫女の
死体が見つかったという記録があり、
それ以後、その山では神事が行われなく
なったのだといわれている。