What is ushi no koku mairi?
Ushi no koku mairi is a curse ritual in which a person visits a shrine at the Hour of the Ox (about 1 to 3 a.m.) and nails a straw doll to a sacred tree with five-inch nails to curse someone they hate. The person is described as wearing a white kimono and an iron trivet on their head with lit candles standing on it. It was said that the ritual must be repeated for seven nights, and that the person must not be seen by anyone.
Hashihime of Uji and Kifune Shrine
One story behind the ritual is the legend of “Hashihime of Uji.” According to variant texts of The Tale of the Heike, a woman mad with jealousy secluded herself at Kifune Shrine in Kyoto and prayed to become a demon. Following the god’s instructions, she divided her hair into five parts like horns, painted her face red, put a burning iron ring on her head and soaked herself in the Uji River, until at last she became a demon while still alive. The story also became the Noh play Kanawa. Kifune Shrine itself is worshipped as a shrine of the water god and of matchmaking.
Ushi no koku mairi today
Ushi no koku mairi is known as a subject of ghost stories and tales that convey the terror of resentment and jealousy. However, nailing things to trees on someone else’s land today may constitute property damage, and telling someone you are cursing them may count as intimidation. It is a ritual to know about as folklore only.
