OKURI-INU

Lore

Okuri-inu, literally “the escorting dog.” The idea of this yokai grew out of the everyday life of villagers who had to farm the perilous mountain slopes and now and then ran into wolf-kami. In the tales it is simply called Okuri-inu, and the spirit is imagined as a large canine—usually invisible, yet unmistakably present—that shows up whenever someone takes a mountain trail at dusk or in the dark. Folklore stresses the creature’s dual nature: it follows the traveler, alertly guarding him from other predators and thus acting as a mountain guide, but under certain conditions it can just as easily become an executioner.

Okuri-inu is a mountain dog-spirit who stands watch on the border between the human world and the spirit realm. Its behavior follows a strict code. It will accompany a traveler and refrain from attacking as long as that person displays absolute self-command. The traveler must not stumble, dawdle, or relax his guard; any lapse tells the spirit the person is unworthy of further protection, and the yokai is free to strike. Should a fall occur, the correct reaction is to shout “Dokkoi-sho!”—a traditional cry the Japanese use when mustering strength to lift a heavy load. The phrase serves a magical purpose, restoring inner balance: the traveler signals to the world that he did not fall from weakness, only from a misstep, and that he is already back on his feet. In doing so he cancels the spirit’s right to attack.