Yūrei

Explanation of Yūrei here. Yurei (幽霊) is the Japanese equivalent of the Western Ghost, like their Western cousins there are several forms of Yurei e.g. Ubume, a mother ghost and Zashiki-warashi, the Japanese equivalent of Poltergeists.

Characteristics

The following characteristics are a generalized description of what Yurei are thought to look like. Much like the western concept of a ghost being a free-floating sheet.

White Clothing

Because the dead were dressed in white for burial, Yūrei are usually portrayed dressed in white. Traditionally, this would be a kimono, but in modern media it can be a white dress as well.

Black Hair

Often long, black and dishevelled. Thought to be tradition of Kabuki Theater, however it was known that Japanese women wore and pinned up their long hair and in death, their hair was let down.

Lack of Feet

While more of an art style that originated in the Edo period, Yūrei from then to today are represented with a lack of legs and feet.

Hitodama

Yūrei are sometimes accompanied by Hitodama, the Japanese equivalent of Will o' the Wisps, represented as floating balls of fire. These flames are also sometimes referred to as fox fires.

Specific Types

• Onryō - Vengeful ghosts who come back due to the wrong done to them in life. (Most of the main antagonists in the Fatal Frame Series are this specific type.)
• Ubume - A mother ghost who has died either in childbirth, or has left a child behind. She returns from the dead specifically to care for her children.
• Funayūrei - ghosts of people who perished at sea
• Zashiki-warashi - often associated with the western concept of poltergeists, these are ghosts of mischievous children who haunt houses.
• Ikiryō - Manifestation of a soul (Reikon) of a living person which causes harm to an enemy, equivalent of the Western Fetch.
• Goryō - Vengeful ghosts of the aristocratic class, especially those who were martyred.

Famous Japanese Ghosts

• Oiwa
• Kuchisake-onna
• Okiku
• Yuki-onna

Japanese Culture
Religion
Buddhism - Shinto
Japanese Ghosts/Creatures
Funayūrei - Goryō - Hitodama - Ikiryō - Onryō - Ubume - Yōkai - Yūrei
Specific Japanese Ghosts/Creatures
Oiwa - Okiku - Yuki-onna
Terms
Dosojin - Grave Mound - Hannya Mask - Higanbana - Jizo - Kaidan - Miko - Mukoyōshi - Sanzu River - Shimenawa - Toro-Nagashi - Wara Ningyo
Locations
Northeastern Japan - Shizuoka - Sugisawa Village - Tono
Media and Entertainment
Kagome, Kagome - Ringu