Oni (myth): Difference between revisions

[[Image:Musashibo Benkei carrying bell.jpg|thumb|200px|Musashibo Benkei]]

Occasionally people of exceptional size and/or strength can be described as "oni". The most notable such figure in Japanese folklore is (Saitō) Musashibō Benkei, a warrior monk who lived in the late twelfth century. Though this is probably not a historically accurate depiction, Benkei is often described as a hulking monster of a man, with lots of hair and muscle.

Apart from tales of his loyalty as a servant of samurai Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Benkei's uncommon size and strength gave rise to folkloric accounts of incredible feats, both in his youth and as a grown man. Benkei's birth and childhood, in particular, are heavily laden with myth and intertwined with tales of the demon child Oniwakamaru (Benkei himself was apparently called '''Oniwaka 鬼若''' in his young years).

Beyond the heavily exaggerated Oniwakamura myth, the oni theme persists in depictions of Benkei's adolescence, most notably in the [https://www.surlalunefairytales.com/books/japan/griffis/benkeibell.html Mii-dera bell episode], where he playfully stole a large bell from a rival monastery. In the picture at right, Benkei is shown carrying the huge bell on his back, using his ''kanabō'' (iron club), a traditional weapon of the oni, for leverage.

Benkei's legendary affinity for powerful weapons has evolved into a myth of its own: "Benkei's seven tools" that are often displayed on Benkei's back. These are commonly a katana, the aforementioned kanabō, a naginata (lance), and miscellaneous weapons such as an axe (masakari), rake (kumade), saw (nokogiri), sickle (nagigama) and mallet (hizuchi).