Snowie Grangers
In traditional beliefs of Japan, onryo refers to a ghost believed to possess the capability of causing harm in the world of the living, ailing or killing enemies, or even causing natural disasters to exact vengeance to redress the wrongs it received while alive. Kayako and Toshio are just two examples of fictional vengeance spirits.
Kyoko’s story is loosely reminiscent of Yotsuya Kaidan, the myth of Oiwa, a traditional Japanese legend. In this tale, the ghost of Oiwa, a woman disfigured and murdered by her unfaithful husband returns to seek revenge. Oiwa was a devoted wife of an unscrupulous ronin Tamiya Lemon, who murders Oiwa’s father after he discovers Lemon’s past deeds. Lemon loses his samurai post and is forced to become an oilpaper umbrella maker. Under this circumstance, he starts feeling resentful of Oiwa. Under the influence of his rich neighbor, whose granddaughter was in love with lemon, he murders Oiwa, lusting over the Neighbor’s riches. At the marriage ceremony, Lemon lifted his new bride’s veil to see Oiwa’s disfigured face and beheaded her, and consequently his bride. Kohei’s ghost also tricked him, causing Lemon to murder his father-in-law. After being pursued by Oiwa’s vengeful ghost, Lemon was murdered by Oiwa’s brother.
A curse accompanies Oiwa’s story and those who retell it suffer fatal injuries. To this day, producers, actors and their crew continue to visit the grave of Oiwa in Tokyo before productions and adaptations of Yotsuya Kaidan, asking for her blessing before telling her story once again.