Japan is a country of high technology and ... witches that have been keeping people in fear for many years.
In the Land of the Rising Sun, the attitude toward women endowed with otherworldly power is completely different than in Europe or Russia. The Japanese do not consider it necessary to organize persecutions against those who are able to control the elements, to bewitch and to spoil.
Why do witches in Japan consider themselves to be chosen by the higher powers?
This state was ignored by the Inquisition only because the local witches always had a privileged position. Representations of local residents created incredibly comfortable conditions for them: here they are considered the embodiment of gods on earth. They, like shamans, still often provide services to the population - to spoil or return the husband to the family of witches will not be difficult. As a rule, most of them live in the mountains - this is because there is a fine line between the worlds of people and spirits. Since the beginning of the 9th century and to this day, they have been taking orders from government officials to help in making forecasts or attracting luck.
All witches in Japan are divided into white and black, but even the last one is not oppressed. White witches expel evil spirits from people and fight with the forces of evil, they can turn to snakes or foxes. Black witches join them in battle, help evil to go into the mortal world from the world of the dead and can easily reincarnate as an owl. Both those and those in the country are called "earth goddesses" for their ability to decide the destinies of the world. Some of them are known to every child in Japan: stories about strong witches are told to him at school.
Fox with nine tails
To appreciate the generosity of the Japanese people can anyone who has at least once heard of the insidious and seductive Tamamo-no-mae - a werewolf who lived a long life and brought many troubles to people. For thousands of years she was on the ground, having received the gift to turn into a fox from the white witch she killed. Tamamo-no mae sat in other people's bodies and sucked out of them vital energy, created illusions that could not be distinguished from reality and controlled the time. A sign of her greatness, she considered a golden skin and nine tails, emphasizing her power.
For 3500 years, Tamamo no mae almost destroyed the Japanese empire, but managed to bring it to civil war and achieve the death of two imperial dynasties. The rulers of China and India, she deprived reason, having managed to persuade them to depravity and cruelty. In the VIII century under the name Mizukume she fascinated the Japanese emperor and became his wife. Immediately after the wedding, she caused spoiling for him, but escaped when she was accused of this. The emperor needed an army of 80,000 men and arrows to locate and kill the traitor. But his fate was decided: soon he died, as his heirs. It is said that the spirit of Tamamo no mae settled into a huge stone, to which no one still wants to touch.
The Yamauba Cannibal
In the deep wilderness of the Japanese mountains lived the old woman Yamauba, whose name means "mountain witch". The local people called her Onibaba: during the day she hid in her hut, and at night - turned into a young attractive girl and waited for belated travelers. She offered them food and a lodging for the night, and after the guests slept, she attacked and devoured alive. Before her death, her victims could see the true face of a nightmarish old woman in a tattered kimono and with many sharp teeth. And yet you could escape from it: Yamauba kept a rare flower in the hut in which her soul was imprisoned. He who found him could gain power over the old woman and save his life.
Unlike men, many girls deliberately looked for a meeting with Onibaba. She gave them knowledge about magic and medical skills, but in return she demanded to leave part of the soul. Once the wicked witch decided and for a good deed: she found a boy in the forest, she brought up the hero of Japanese legends Kintaro.
Snow Virgin
In the forests of the inhabitants of Japan to this day lies in wait for Yuki-onna or "Snow Maiden". This is a girl who manages to remain forever young and beautiful. Yuki-onna has dark long hair and snow-white icy skin. She does not kill her victims at once: the witch's goal is to make them fall in love and stay with her. When men forget about everything in the world and agree to live with the Virgin in her house, hidden in the wilderness, she gradually sucks out life forces from them to death.
Once Yuki-onna herself fell in love with a beautiful samurai and saved his life. But her husband was very fond of hot baths and regularly persuaded the witch to luxuriate with him. When he forced her to force it, Yuki-onna almost turned into an icicle. So she stopped believing in love and was angry at the stronger sex even more.