Kuchisake-onna — The Slit-Mouthed Woman of Japanese Urban Legend

Kuchisake-onna (口裂け女, Slit-Mouthed Woman) is one of the most famous yōkai (supernatural beings) in modern Japanese folklore, straddling the boundary between traditional ghost story and contemporary urban legend. The figure's origins may lie in the Edo period (1603-1868), when stories circulated about a samurai's wife who was disfigured by her jealous husband for adultery, her mouth sliced open from ear to ear. Condemned to wander as a vengeful spirit, she asks passersby whether they find her beautiful. The legend teaches that there is no safe answer: saying 'yes' results in the victim being disfigured to match her appearance; saying 'no' results in death. Some versions offer escape routes — giving an ambiguous answer ('you're average'), throwing hard candy (which she stops to pick up), or asking her the same question in return. The Kuchisake-onna legend experienced its most dramatic revival in 1979, when reports spread across Japan with the speed and character of a mass panic, but it has resurfaced periodically since, including a significant wave of reports in South Korea in 2004. The legend has inspired numerous films, manga, and video games.