Eps 5: Futakuchi Onna Japanese urban legend
— Scary
Futakuchi Onna is a Japanese urban legend about a woman with a second mouth on the back of her head. This second mouth is hidden beneath her hair and only reveals itself when it's hungry. The story often begins with a miserly man who marries a woman that hardly eats, believing it to be a sign of thriftiness. However, the man begins to notice that despite her little consumption, their food supply rapidly diminishes. It is eventually revealed that the woman possesses a second mouth on her head, which demands constant feeding, sometimes exhibiting a spiteful personality. This eerie tale serves as a metaphor for hidden greed and the dangers of ignoring underlying issues.
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Randy Adams
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According to the legend, the second mouth possesses a voracious appetite, demanding constant nourishment. In some versions of the story, the extra mouth is born out of neglect, perhaps from a grieved spirit seeking retribution on a woman who starved her stepchild. In others, it appears as a punishment for a miserly woman who refused to share her food. The mouth is said to speak in a malevolent, otherworldly voice, commanding the woman to feed it or suffer the consequences.
Nurturing this hidden curse, the Futakuchi Onna often remains silent and withdrawn, using her normal mouth sparingly, perhaps due to sheer exhaustion from feeding the insatiable maw. As days turn into nights, she secretly devours massive quantities of food, her hair snaking to life to deliver sustenance to the ceaselessly demanding mouth. The villagers, oblivious to her condition, may notice bizarre behaviors—like food mysteriously disappearing or the uncanny ability to go without eating in public.
Over time, however, her secret may be revealed. A curious observer could catch a glimpse of the twisting, snake-like hair and the endlessly consuming mouth. The legend serves as a chilling reminder of the hidden horrors that can lurk behind the ordinary, as well as a commentary on the dualities of human nature—the facade we present to the world versus the secrets we hide within. Is it a mere cautionary tale against greed and neglect, or does it reflect deeper, more sinister truths about our hidden selves? The story of Futakuchi Onna remains one of Japan's most eerie and enduring urban legends, a tale that continues to fascinate and frighten in equal measure.