Name Meaning
Yomotsu-shikome (黄泉醜女) translates to “ugly women of Yomi,” with “Yomi” referring to the Japanese land of the dead, and “shikome” implying ghastly or repulsive women.
- Yomi (黄泉) = underworld
- Shikome (醜女) = ugly or loathsome woman
Origin
- Found in the Kojiki, one of Japan’s oldest mythological texts.
- Dispatched by Izanami, the goddess of death, to chase her husband Izanagi from Yomi.
- They represent the dangers and defilement of the land of the dead.
Appearance
- Described as hideous, corpse-like women.
- Often envisioned with rotting skin, ragged clothing, and monstrous features.
- Symbols of decay and death.
Behavior & Myths
- They pursued Izanagi after he entered Yomi to retrieve Izanami but fled in terror.
- Izanagi used objects like combs and grapes to slow them down as he escaped.
- They embody the horror of violating natural laws, such as death’s permanence.
Symbolism
- Embody fear of death, decay, and the wrath of the underworld.
- Serve as agents of divine retribution in myth.
- Symbolize the irreversible boundary between the living and the dead.
