Kuchisake-onna (The Slit-Mouth Woman)

In 1979, a legend swept through Japan with such intensity that schools changed their policies and police increased patrols. Children reported encounters with a woman wearing a surgical mask who asked them a simple question: “Am I beautiful?” But when she removed her mask, they saw a mouth slit from ear to ear. Kuchisake-onna - the Slit-Mouth Woman - became Japan’s most terrifying urban legend and sparked a genuine moral panic.

The Legend

The Encounter

The typical story:

• A woman appears on the street
• Usually at dusk or night
• She wears a long coat
• And a surgical mask (common in Japan)
• She approaches a person, often a child

The Question

She asks:

• “Watashi kirei?” (Am I beautiful?)
• If you say no, she kills you with scissors
• If you say yes, she removes her mask
• Revealing a mouth slit to the ears
• Then she asks again…

The Second Question

With her mutilated face revealed:

• “Kore demo?” (Even like this?)
• If you say no, she cuts you in half
• If you say yes, she slits your mouth to match hers
• Either answer leads to violence

Escape Methods

Children developed supposed defenses:

• Answer “You’re average” (confuses her)
• Throw candy or fruit (she stops to pick it up)
• Ask “Am I beautiful?” back (confuses her)
• Say “I’m late” or “I have somewhere to be”
• Run while she’s distracted

The 1979 Panic

The Outbreak

In spring 1979:

• Reports spread across Japan
• Children claimed encounters
• Parents became frightened
• The story dominated news and conversation

School Responses

The panic was so intense:

• Some schools required group dismissal
• Teachers walked children home
• Some schools closed early
• Official warnings were issued

Police Involvement

Authorities responded:

• Increased patrols around schools
• Investigated reports
• Tried to calm the public
• Found no actual attacker

Media Frenzy

The story:

• Spread through television and newspapers
• Became national conversation
• Generated widespread fear
• Eventually died down

Historical Origins

The Edo Period

Possible ancient origins:

• Stories of women with slit mouths exist in older folklore
• Some trace to samurai-era tales
• A wife disfigured by a jealous husband
• Or a woman punished for vanity

The Surgical Mask

Modern elements:

• Surgical masks are common in Japan
• For illness, allergies, or anonymity
• The mask becomes sinister
• Hiding something terrible

Why 1979?

The timing may relate to:

• Social anxieties about crime
• Children’s vulnerability
• Media amplification
• A perfect storm of factors

The Story Variations

Different Versions

The legend varies:

• Sometimes she carries scissors, sometimes a knife, sometimes a sickle
• Sometimes she can run 100 km/hour
• Sometimes she was a samurai’s wife, sometimes a victim of surgery
• The “correct” answers change by region

The Backstory

Common origin stories:

• A woman mutilated by a jealous husband
• A botched cosmetic surgery
• A madwoman who escaped an asylum
• A vengeful spirit

Regional Differences

Across Japan:

• Different “correct” answers work
• Different escape methods
• Different appearances
• The core remains the same

The Psychology

Why It Spread

The legend works because:

• It exploits common situations (walking alone at night)
• The surgical mask is relatable
• The question seems innocent at first
• Any answer leads to harm
• It taps into fear of disfigurement

Children’s Terror

The legend particularly frightened children:

• They walk home from school
• They encounter adults
• They can’t fight back
• The threat is inescapable

Mass Hysteria

The 1979 panic shows:

• How quickly fear spreads
• How media amplifies legends
• How children transmit stories
• How societies react to perceived threats

Later Revivals

The 2000s

The legend returned:

• In 2004 in South Korea
• In 2007 reported in Japan again
• Through the internet
• New generations discovered her

Global Spread

Kuchisake-onna has reached:

• South Korea (2004 panic)
• China
• Western countries
• Through anime and horror media

Modern Adaptations

She appears in:

• Horror films
• Anime and manga
• Video games
• International horror media

The Films

Movie Adaptations

Multiple films feature her:

• “Carved: The Slit-Mouth Woman” (2007)
• Sequels and remakes
• International productions
• She’s become a horror icon

Modern Interpretations

Contemporary versions add:

• Backstory and motivation
• Vulnerability and pathos
• Modern settings
• Gore and horror elements

Analysis

As Urban Legend

Kuchisake-onna is a perfect urban legend:

• Simple and memorable
• Easy to spread
• Frightening scenario
• Seemingly impossible to escape

As Social Phenomenon

The 1979 panic reveals:

• Japan’s anxieties about public safety
• Fear for children
• The power of rumor
• How legends become “real”

Cultural Significance

She represents:

• Consequences of vanity
• The hidden monster in normal appearances
• Trust and danger
• Japanese horror traditions

The Reality

Did She Exist?

No actual Kuchisake-onna was ever found:

• No arrests
• No real attacks matching the legend
• The panic was about a story
• But the fear was real

Real Harm

The legend caused:

• Genuine terror in children
• Disruption to schools
• Parental anxiety
• A lasting cultural memory

Modern Era

Still Told

Today:

• The legend persists
• New generations learn it
• It’s part of Japanese horror culture
• It’s known worldwide

Internet Age

Online, she:

• Appears in creepypasta
• Is discussed in forums
• Has fan art and stories
• Continues to evolve

The Question

A woman approaches you on the street.

She’s wearing a surgical mask. It’s dark.

“Am I beautiful?”

What do you say?

There’s no right answer. There’s never been a right answer.

In 1979, children all over Japan asked each other this question. They shared escape methods. They walked home in groups. They were afraid.

Because somewhere out there, the Slit-Mouth Woman might be waiting.

She’s not real. No one was ever attacked by her. The police never found her. She’s just a story.

But for a few months in 1979, she was real enough to change how an entire nation’s children went home from school.

And even today, the story persists.

A woman with a mask.

A simple question.

A choice with no good options.

“Am I beautiful?”

Don’t answer.

Just run.

And hope she doesn’t follow.

Kuchisake-onna. The Slit-Mouth Woman. Japan’s most famous urban legend.

Still asking.

Still waiting.

Still beautiful - and terrible - in her way.