In cartoons, however, the parents yelling "kora!" are usually depicted with two horns, usually colored with yellow, sticking out of their heads. Of course, an ogre with horns represents a figure that threatens children. The horns symbolizes the Ogre. Someone may in jest stick their forefingers on top of their head to show their anger.

Coincidently or not, "KRN" (pronounced "kora") in Hebrew, the language of Jews, means "horn." And the same word in Europe becomes "kern" and "horn". The Matterhorn of Switzerland, famous for its sharp peak, means "horn-like mountain".

In fact, there is an interesting story behind the Hebrew word "KRN". The same word also means to shine, to give out light. European people of medieval period often confused these two meanings. It is said that the head of the Prophet Moses was shining when he descended Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments in his hands. But the people of Europe mistakenly interpreted this story and thought that Moses had horns on his head. This is why representations of Moses in Europe, including the one by Michelangelo, are often depicted with two horns.

A prophet depicted as an ogre. Sounds funny, doesn't it. But when we think about it, this may lead us to something of more of consequence. What color would you use to express light? A fluorescent light would be white, the sun would be red, and a searchlight would usually be expressed with yellow. We often use gold to show dazzling light. This is because we see some yellow in it. Previously, I mentioned that the ogre's horns are usually colored yellow. Taking this into consideration, there may have been a sense of "light" in this color. In other words, even in ancient Japan, "horn" and "light" may have been expressed with the same word, just like in Hebrew.

Even so, I still can't stop asking, "What is Oni (Ogre)?" Needless to say, "Oni" is not a Japanese word. It is Chinese. The Chinese character for "Oni" was originally a hieroglyph meaning corpse and it came to represent dead spirits and other ghosts. But the Chinese don't have tales of the Aka-oni (Red ogre) and Ao-oni (Blue ogre), as there are in Japan.

In Japan, ogres are usually depicted naked from the waist up, wearing a breechcloth with tiger's stripes, a hairy body, Afro hairstyle, and thick sideburns. His chest and legs are covered with hair, not to mention his face. And can't forget the one or two horns sticking out of his head.

This image originated when the twelve Chinese astrological signs were matched with the points of the compass. For example, the "Horse" represented the North, "Ox - Tiger" would represent the Northeast. As you may know, the northeast direction represents the taboo gate, through which the spirits of the dead were thought to pass, a direction we call "Kimon (The ogre gate)". This is also a feature of the recently popular feng shui. So the image of Ogre was established by combining the distinctive features of the Ox and the Tiger. The upper body resembles the ox and lower body, the tiger. In other words, on his head are the horns of the cow, and he wears shorts with tiger stripes.

Ogres often appear in Japanese folktales. The most famous would be the "Shuten-douji" of Mt. Ooe. He was huge and had red-hair; although his hair was cropped like a child, he was a heavy drinker. He was called "douji (child)", but he was quite the opposite, and had a cruel personality. He ate human flesh and drank fresh blood. A typical ogre, I would say.

There have been much written about the "Shuten-douji". Those who opposed the dominance of the Yamato imperial court were called "Matsurowanu" ("those who are disobedient"), and were branded as monsters. Based on this, some have observed that perhaps "Ogres = aborigines = Jomon people." It is true that the Jomon were known to have hairy bodies, big eyes, and well-defined facial features. Recently it has become known that the Jomon people had a distinctive mountain worshipping belief, and man-made pyramids have been been discovered. Mt. Ooe, where "Shuten-douji" lived, is famous for its beautiful triangular ridgeline and is the Shintai (the object of worship) of the local Motoisekotai Shrine. In fact, its chief priest has no hesitation in declaring that Mt. Ooe is a Japanese pyramid.

Regarding "Shuten-douji", however, I do not think the "Ogre = Aborigines = Jomon" observation applies.

Why? Because the description of "Shuten-douji" comes across as too alien. If the Ogre had been based on an aboriginal Jomon then we should find tales of "Shuten-douji" all over Japan. The "Shuten-douji" tales are most prevalent in the Tohoku region, where Jomon culture remains well preserved. So why do we find so many tales in the Tanba area?

The ancient Tanba region covered a vast area including the current Tango and Tajima regions. Two conveniently located bays to the east and west of the Tango peninsula flourished as gateways to the region. Although now we call the region facing the Japan Sea, "the back of Japan [Ura Nippon]", historically speaking it should be called "the front [Omote Nippon]." Many people from the Asian continent have arrived in Tango since antiquity.

Taking this into consideration, "Shuten-douji" may have come from abroad. In the early Showa period, Juichi Ogawa found the descriptions of "Shuten-douji" in Legends of Mt. Ooe to closely match Westerners. In truth, they are larger than the Japanese and eat meat. Furthermore, drinking red wine may have seemed like drinking human blood to the ancient people of Japan. In other words, "Shuten-douji" may have been a Westerner who drifted ashore onto Tango. Soon after the end of the Second World War, Ganzo Murakami presented his theory that "Shuten-douji" was a Westerner by the name of Stein Docci. He was prince from Flanders who was shipwrecked as he traveled from Sung to Japan and was washed up onto Tango.

As a mystery researcher, this story appeals to me greatly. And it is true that Westerners have pale skin and become ruddy faced when drinking. Red hair, cropped hairstyle, a taste for meat and wine--they all match the Westerners. "Shuten-douji" must had been a German who became a bandit after drifting ashore. But wait a minute. It doesn't fit history. The legend of "Shuten-douji" as we know it today was created during the Nanbokucho era, about the 14th century. But in its original form it dates from older times, going back as far as the Heian period. Since Europe entered its age of discovery in the 15th century, chances are very slim that he came directly to Japan. Moreover, most of the seafaring voyages were undertaken by the Portuguese and Spaniards, and it is unlikely that any Germans had traveled all the way to the Far East at that time.

Even so, it is not impossible. Human have tremendous power. As the priest Hs'n Tsang said, "Convictions can take us to anywhere." There must have been some people, albeit in small numbers, who could have reached the far ends of the Earth. There were people who traveled all the way along the Silk Road. Could "Shuten-douji" be descended from them?

No one knows whether the name "Shuten-douji" was actually Stein Docci or not. But the word "Stein" interests me. In German, "stein" means stone. It may sound odd to take one's name from a stone, but according to the Bible, the stone symbolizes the Messiah, in both Judaism and Christianity. Albert Einstein, famous for the theory of relativity, was Jewish, and his name means "one stone". Peter, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, was also Jewish and his name means "rock". Many of those in Europe who have "stein" in their names are Jewish.

Considering all the above, "Shuten-douji" may also had been Jewish.

Translated by Rie Ishida