Jokotsu Baba

In Japanese folklore there is a figure known as jakotsu baba, which is sometimes translated as the old snake bone woman. She is a yokai, or supernatural creature, who appears as an old hag and has the power to control snakes. Her legend first appeared in Toriyama Sekien’s Konjaku Hyakki Shui alongside the illustration later in this post.

Shigeru Mizuki

 

Not much else is known about her although some sources suggest she originated in northern Honshu, while others believe she was from China. As well as being able to control snakes, it is said she carries with her both a red and blue snake. She can command the blue snake to use its icy breath to freeze anything in its path, while the red snake is able to shoot out fire and reduce victims to ashes. There is one suggestion that after her husband died, she transformed into a yokai to guard his grave and used snakes to attack anyone who approached.

Toriyama Sekien