GAGOZE

Lore

Yokai Gagoze (元興寺), whose original name is directly linked to Gango-ji, the Buddhist temple in Nara, is thought to be one of the oldest demons recorded in Japanese writing. According to legend, a brutal temple servant died and became a reiki—a demonic ghost—who took up residence in Gango-ji’s bell tower. From that moment on, young acolytes began to die under mysterious circumstances. By the Edo period the word had become a catch-all for bogeymen.

In old illustrations Gagoze appears as a classic oni in monk’s robes. He moves on all fours, underscoring his animal nature and allowing him to stay hidden in the dark. The most distinctive feature is his scalp—ripped clean off along with the hair. The wound forever marks his vulnerable spot. In essence he blends the brute strength of a large oni with the intangibility of a ghost: impervious to ordinary weapons and most comfortable in total darkness.