Jorōgumo

The Jorōgumo is a form of yokai from Japan. They appear as beautiful women to lure in men, and when they approach they turn into monstrous spiders and consume their prey. They can be found in forests and cities. Some believed they were created by the gods to punish evildoers by turning them into immortal monsters. It was believed only someone wise and courageous could defeat a Jorōgumo. They represent transformation, rebirth, female strength, seduction, and beauty. There are stories of Jorogumo falling in love and abandoning their evil ways. A notable example is a story where a woodcutter saw a beautiful woman by a lake others knew to be inhabited by a Jorogumo. He found out and still wanted to marry her. When he couldn’t receive a blessing, he threw himself into her webs and sank beneath the water. It is unclear if he was killed or if they lived happily. 

Citations:

Bowstead, Hannah. The Little Book of World Mythology: A Pocket Guide to Myths and Legends. United Kingdom, Summersdale, 2022.

Japanese Mythology: Discover the Great History of Japan! Get ready to face Monsters, Spirits and the Strangest Creatures of the Rising Sun. Bonus: 3 Stories of Warriors from Nippon Folklore. N.p., Bruce Simons, 2023.

JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY: A JOURNEY INTO THE LAND OF MONSTERS, SPIRITS, AND YOKAI. N.p., Eric Sun, 2023.