If you go exploring in Japanese forests or mountains, keep a watchful eye out for yama uba. These yokai are actually strange old witches that live alone in remote areas. They appear as kind old ladies offering travellers a place to stay, but late at night they magically transform into ugly hags and eat their guests alive.
Some believe the tales arose at a time when, during food shortages, the oldest family members were abandoned in the mountains and left to die. The haunting spirits of the old women became yama uba.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5R6bcKguMNmLepMtaSICsU0EdtdcEDWVnuZdZP7rS70bPon8Fr24-Rji_OrXhB0lASXEhUwr7FprEH2F4eJmo3mq7kc73kBW9etDdOG9pMho8ivh7LnEIQhZeDxfiBGNBEDIwxsg41fsz/w534-h640/yama+uba.jpg) |
'Mountain Witch Holding a Hachet (Yama Uba)' - Totoya Hokkei
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In Japanese folklore, the popular hero Kintaro was raised in the
mountains by a yama uba. Noh plays also featured yama uba as the archetypal villain and many
ukiyo-e prints depict actors in these plays in the role of the mountain
witch.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-Tr_6hGz-9gv849ntVz1JADAhQixmIrW9-qSG1MwGEcYhYBLgWT-O211qWWrM8AarVT5K7DaX2KXdkgVsaGqc3aaBSr7UvRxPbxxCqbv6D-gqXBMmDVhHal1LR0ISYFDJhJIupze9Rmo/w431-h640/1621733383235085-4.png) |
Katsukawa Shunsho |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2e-LRkgcYUXqap7T5g06OO5GcvVcCwu4PWhrSbGwzzSFE4X1Xlo1tgFmV1hrdPEDG6-zLx850C8riYtxN5lgg6edpjsidFF8TOG3lB18JQqIYYmMma-zbMbgso0113ecOdc1JIaCMEunk/w298-h640/1621733396472048-1.png) |
Katsukawa Shunsho |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjDQzZ9Y7AboMYnb2fSybZy4_f2X6w7WPB4TPo3_KrhbvjNgSBs3Ff18UivrIVd_w6P-TQZ-L2NG86Z6m2RP4b3gqFmUvGZq-_HkWCSReF2M4sXwTS_9COIkmI6JJvqebXySmo2Jluntu/w400-h329/1621733392397501-2.png) |
Tsukioka Kogyo |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLEIf-o6hrxP0psaEEyPnK1oNlHoU4HfgHK91JpG_-iPqmb8p6Tx_WHJgTsty_h9oF_g9yn9EpHan2Dvocs-kqk5vbWsiLiVYgoxifQeb16qjLuig-zL3Jec0suLRoVG21fGOSXkXvPsw/w308-h640/1621733387847664-3.png) |
Kitagawa Utamaro
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEg9TLipfVe_JdDyab-I8NMgQAcMHgnzsBS6rSxjoV9bJFaAdAsVpklSeK_asTVMP_pjN5hdaCTnffO_4Fsqh6aQ_5GYLwWjI7esZjwEV2WP1JoK3-4IUBqZ5ZOu5PkxbZwZImfCEa5Uv/w427-h640/1621733377823617-5.png) |
Katsukawa Shunsho |
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