Yōkai : Taka-onna (高女)
Throughout Japanese history, she has been closely associated with brothels and prostitution districts.
Taka-onna (高女), meaning “tall woman” in Japanese, is a female yokai known for her extraordinary ability to stretch her body to towering heights. Throughout Japanese history, she has been closely associated with brothels and prostitution districts, becoming a prominent figure during the Edo period and continuing to be part of folklore until the postwar era when the prevalence of brothels reached its zenith.
Legend tells of Taka-onna’s origins as ordinary women who, deemed unattractive and undesirable for marriage or employment in the brothels, were consumed by envy and resentment. As these negative emotions took hold, their very beings transformed into yokai, embodying their feelings of spite and jealousy.
Taka-onnas are often spotted engaging in voyeuristic behavior, stretching their elongated bodies to peer through the windows of upper floors where sexual encounters unfold. Their fascination lies in observing couples during their intimate moments, acting as spectral onlookers. Additionally, these yokai derive pleasure from instilling fear and tormenting both men and women who frequent brothels, though physical attacks are rare occurrences.
Their presence serves as a reminder of the hidden desires and clandestine activities that transpire within the confines of the pleasure districts. Taka-onnas, with their unnaturally elongated forms, symbolize the societal taboos and hidden secrets that dwell beneath the surface, intertwining with the world of desire and temptation.
©Emika Oka
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Source
高女 - Wikipedia
高女(たかおんな) - 妖怪うぃき的妖怪図鑑 (hatenablog.com)
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