Yōkai : Jubokko (樹木子, tree child )
When a human being happens to pass by, it supposedly captures the victim and, changing its branches into the shape of a tube, sucks the blood out of the victim.
The Jubokko (樹木子, tree child )is a yōkai tree in Japanese folklore that appears in many books related to Japanese yōkai, including Shigeru Mizuki’s works.
According to folklore, it appears in former battlefields where many people have died, and its appearance does not differ that much from ordinary trees. Since it becomes a yōkai tree by sucking up large quantities of blood from the dead, it lives on human blood. When a human being happens to pass by, it supposedly captures the victim and, changing its branches into the shape of a tube, sucks the blood out of the victim.
A Jubokko that sucks life out of human beings in such a way is said to always maintain a fresh appearance. When a Jubokko is cut, blood trickles out. It is said that a Jubokko branch could heal and decontaminate an injured person.
Hidden among the battlefields and sites of historical massacres, a peculiar presence can be found — a tree like no other. At first glance, the jubokko appears to be an ordinary tree, blending seamlessly with its surroundings.
Keen observers will notice the subtle, eerie characteristics of its branches and the haunting sight of human bones scattered beneath its roots. Once ordinary trees, these jubokko underwent a macabre transformation after absorbing copious amounts of human blood through their roots, turning them into formidable yokai beings with an insatiable thirst for human life essence.
Lurking patiently, jubokko lie in wait for unsuspecting prey to venture near their branches. With their long, jagged branches resembling menacing fingers, they swiftly seize their victims, hoisting them up into their boughs. Their razor-sharp branches puncture the flesh, allowing tube-like twigs to extract every drop of blood.
Once drained, the remnants of the unfortunate souls are devoured by scavenging birds, insects, and other creatures, leaving behind only dry bones scattered at the tree’s base. By the time the chilling heaps of bleached bones catch the attention of passersby, escape is but a futile hope.
While scholars of folklore, such as Kunio Yanagita and Iwao Hino, who extensively documented yokai in their works, have found no definitive origins for the jubokko, it is believed to be a creation of Shigeru Mizuki, a renowned author and illustrator of yokai-related literature. Mizuki, known for his work “GeGeGe no Kitaro,” is credited with introducing around 30 distinct yokai creatures. Although the exact nature of Mizuki’s fictional yokai creations remains unspecified, a group of esteemed yokai experts has acknowledged the jubokko as a fascinating product of his imagination.
The enigma surrounding the jubokko continues to captivate the imagination, leaving us in awe of the dark mysteries that reside within the depths of Japanese folklore.
©Emika Oka
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Source
樹木子 (じゅぼっこ)とは【ピクシブ百科事典】 (pixiv.net)
樹木子 - Wikipedia
【画像】有名な妖怪一覧 32種類（あいうえお順） - 雑学ミステリー (zatsugaku-mystery.com)