At the height of the Japanese horror boom, movies like the Ring and the Grudge introduced us to Sadako and Kayako. But before these two, a predecessor has haunted Japanese lore for centuries. Her name? Lady Oiwa.
Lady Oiwa and Yotsuya Kaidan
The terror of Lady Oiwa is told in the kabuki play Yotsuya Kaidan, written by Tsuruya Nanboku IV in 1825. In the play, Lady Oiwa of the Tamiya Clan is married to a lordless samurai named Iemon, who also happens to be the object of love by another woman named Oume. In a plot to ruin the two’s relationship, Oume sends a facial cream laden with poison to Oiwa. Oiwa’s face becomes disfigured as soon as applies the cream, and in shock, she accidentally kills herself while running with a sword in hand. She then turns into a vengeful spirit for the rest of the play, bringing misfortune to the rest of the characters.
Yotsuya Kaidan is one of the most famous ghost stories in Japan. The play was so well received that centuries later, many people still associate the name Lady Oiwa with the fictional ghost and believe her former lodging to be haunted. This echoes in popular culture as well, as characters from contemporary ghost stories inherit some of her characteristics.
The Real Lady Oiwa
The real Lady Oiwa lived 200 years prior to the play, and unlike her fictional counterpart, she was known to have an upstanding character—a true ryosai kenbo (good wife, wise mother) that served as a model for many young women. The Tamiya clan did live in a stretch of land in Yotsuya, and in its place now stands Oiwa Inari Shrine.
Considering that the play was based on real-life events that involved different people, it is unclear why Nanboku chose to use Lady Oiwa as a character instead. Perhaps a known name made the play easier to remember. Perhaps it made it easier for the audience to get wrapped up in the story.
Personally, I found it quite sad that the accomplishments of an outstanding woman have been overshadowed over time by the shock value of a fictional story, but I guess that’s the way reputation goes. You live a life you’re proud of, only to be distorted 200 years later. Either way, Lady Oiwa’s name remains immortal.
Oiwa Inari Shrine
Oiwa Inari Shrine stands on the land where the Tamiya Clan used to live. A cozy shrine that appears to be unmanned most of the time, it is easy to see why people speculate it to be haunted.
The shrine pays tribute to the real Lady Oiwa from whom it gets part of its name, but it also pays homage to the fictional version, as seen by the many clippings of the various adaptations of the play put up on one side of the shrine. A sign from the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education also explains the historical value of the place in English.
It is said that many women come to Oiwa Inari. They pray to become like the remarkable Lady Oiwa and live a blessed life. Some reports also say that directors, producers, and actors also come here to pay respects every time Yotsuya Kaidan is staged or adapted to some form of media. This custom seems to have started after a series of unfortunate events in one staging of the show.
Oiwa Inari Video
How to Get to Oiwa Inari Shrine
Oiwa Inari Tamiya Shrine (於岩稲荷田宮神社, おいわ いなり たみや じんじゃ)
3-minute walk from Exit 3 of Yotsuya-Sanchome, Marunouchi Line
08:00 to 17:00
No admission fee
