Name Meaning
Jorōgumo (絡新婦) literally means "binding bride" or "entangling woman." It reflects her deceptive beauty and her web-spinning, predatory nature.
- Jorō (絡) = binding or entangling
- Gumo (新婦) = spider / bride
Origin
- Stories date back to the Edo period.
- Most famously linked to waterfalls like the Jōren Falls in Izu.
- Appears in regional tales as both an urban and mountain spirit.
Appearance
- Disguises herself as a beautiful woman to lure men.
- Can reveal a spider's form with venomous fangs and long legs.
- Spins silk webs to trap her victims before devouring them.
Behavior & Myths
- Uses seduction and illusions to lure wandering travelers.
- Drags victims to her lair, often in a cave or behind a waterfall.
- Sometimes pretends to care for humans before turning deadly.
Symbolism
- Symbol of fatal attraction and hidden danger.
- Embodies the theme of nature's beauty masking its cruelty.
- Appears in kabuki plays, folklore collections, and even modern horror stories.
