What is the amanojaku?
The amanojaku is a small demon that sees through people’s hearts and makes mischief by saying or doing exactly the opposite of what they want. Today the word is widely used for a contrary person who deliberately goes against what others say.
Origins of the amanojaku
One source of the amanojaku is said to be Ame-no-Sagume, a goddess of Japanese mythology skilled at reading hearts, who brought disaster by telling a god sent from heaven the opposite of the advice he had been given. It is also linked with the jaki, the imps trampled under the feet of the guardian Nio and Four Heavenly Kings statues at Buddhist temples, and came to be called amanojaku as a symbol of evil.
The amanojaku in folktales
In the folktale “Uriko-hime,” an amanojaku tricks its way into the house where Princess Uriko is home alone and takes her place. Depending on the region, the princess is rescued or the story ends sadly. Because it imitates people and their voices, some say that the echo in the mountains (kodama) is the amanojaku mimicking voices.
