Sankai
Encyclopedia
is a generic term that refers to any Japanese regional yōkai
(praeternatural creatures) that is given birth by a pregnant woman
. When due care is not given during pregnancy, it is said that a sankai would emerge instead.
Before the advent of modern medicine, childbirth was far more dangerous and incomprehensible, and people were deeply superstitious. Thus, unusual appearances from miscarriages and early births created the sankai belief.
. From outer appearance, it looks similar to a turtle, and it has hair growing on its back. As soon as it is born, it starts to crawl on the floor and attempts to escape underneath the house. If not captured and killed right away, it is said to crawl underneath the sleeping mother and kill her.
and Kanagawa Prefecture
, and in Nagano Prefecture
. Legends about its outer appearance are sparse, however it is said to look like cattle and is said to be hairy.
Kekkai is also said to bury under the house to kill its mother. In Urawa
, a practice existed of surrounding the bottom of a house with byōbu
during childbirth to prevent this maneuver. It is theorized that the etymology may derive from , meaning an area restricted for religious reasons.
In the Ashigara
region of Kanagawa Prefecture
, the sankai is said to move immediately while still bloody, the jizaikagi of an irori
, or hearth. If the kekkai successfully escapes, the woman was believed to die. In order to prevent this, someone would have to guard the irori, typically equipped with a shamoji
.
Folklorist Iwao Hino recalls spotting a kekkai at a freak show during childhood. The show stated that it was given birth by a woman at a University hospital, however Hino later believed that it must have been a trained night monkey
.
Yōkai
are a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
(praeternatural creatures) that is given birth by a pregnant woman
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
. When due care is not given during pregnancy, it is said that a sankai would emerge instead.
Before the advent of modern medicine, childbirth was far more dangerous and incomprehensible, and people were deeply superstitious. Thus, unusual appearances from miscarriages and early births created the sankai belief.
Oketsu
The story of the oketsu (オケツ) comes from Okayama PrefectureOkayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...
. From outer appearance, it looks similar to a turtle, and it has hair growing on its back. As soon as it is born, it starts to crawl on the floor and attempts to escape underneath the house. If not captured and killed right away, it is said to crawl underneath the sleeping mother and kill her.
Kekkai
The sankai is known as a in Saitama PrefectureSaitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
and Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, and in Nagano Prefecture
Nagano Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Nagano.- History :Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano...
. Legends about its outer appearance are sparse, however it is said to look like cattle and is said to be hairy.
Kekkai is also said to bury under the house to kill its mother. In Urawa
Urawa-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama City, Japan. It is surrounded by Midori-ku , Minami-ku , Chūō-ku , Ōmiya-ku , and Minuma-ku of Saitama city....
, a practice existed of surrounding the bottom of a house with byōbu
Byobu
are Japanese folding screens made from several joined panels bearing decorative painting and calligraphy, used to separate interiors and enclose private spaces, among other uses.- History :...
during childbirth to prevent this maneuver. It is theorized that the etymology may derive from , meaning an area restricted for religious reasons.
In the Ashigara
Ashigara
Ashigara may refer to:*Mount Ashigara in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan*Ashigara, a cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy, named after the mountain.* An Atago class destroyer of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force** JS Ashigara...
region of Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, the sankai is said to move immediately while still bloody, the jizaikagi of an irori
Irori
Irori are a type of traditional sunken hearth common in Japan. Used for heating the home and cooking food, irori are essentially square pits in the floor with a pot hook, or jizaikagi...
, or hearth. If the kekkai successfully escapes, the woman was believed to die. In order to prevent this, someone would have to guard the irori, typically equipped with a shamoji
Shamoji
A shamoji is a flat rice paddle used in Japanese cuisine. It is used to stir and to serve rice, and to mix vinegar into the rice for sushi....
.
Folklorist Iwao Hino recalls spotting a kekkai at a freak show during childhood. The show stated that it was given birth by a woman at a University hospital, however Hino later believed that it must have been a trained night monkey
Night monkey
The night monkeys, also known as the owl monkeys or douroucoulis, are the members of the genus Aotus of New World monkeys . They are widely distributed in the forests of Central and South America, from Panama south to Paraguay and northern Argentina...
.