Ittan-momen 一反木綿

Ittan-momen (一反木綿), the “Bolt of Cotton,” is one of Japan’s most unique and terrifying aerial spirits—a long, narrow strip of fabric that flies through the night sky to suffocate its victims.

Meaning and Origin

The name means Ittan (a traditional unit of measurement for cloth, about 10 meters long) and Momen (Cotton). It translates to “A ten-meter bolt of cotton.”

Its origin is the folklore of Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyushu. Unlike many household Yokai that are mischievous, the Ittan-momen is a Predatory Spirit. It is said to be the ghost of discarded or mistreated fabric that has gained a life of its own through resentment. In the original legends, it was a genuine threat used by parents to warn children against staying out late, as it was believed to be an invisible hunter that lived on the wind.

Characteristics

An Ittan-momen is a simple, long strip of white cotton cloth. It has no face, no eyes, and no limbs, but it moves with the fluid grace of an aerial serpent. It is said to be extremely thin, making it almost invisible when it approaches from the side.

Its primary characteristic is its Mortal Embrace. It doesn’t bite or scratch; it flies toward its victim’s head and wraps itself tightly around their neck or face, using its cloth body to suffocate them. It is said to have the strength of iron once it has made its first loop. Despite being made of cotton, it is resistant to most physical attacks; if a person tries to grab it, the cloth simply flows through their fingers like water.

Legends

One chilling legend tells of a man who was walking home on a windy night and saw what he thought was a piece of laundry flying through the air. He tried to catch it, but the cloth suddenly tightened around his throat.

Fortunately, the man was carrying a Wakizashi (short sword). He managed to catch a corner of the cloth as it wrapped around his face and sliced through it. Legend says that the cloth let out a high-pitched scream, and the man saw blood dripping from the cut edge of the fabric before it flew away into the clouds. This story confirms that Ittan-momen is a biological horror—a living thing that mimics inanimate object to hunt. In modern times, it has become famous again through the GeGeGe no Kitarō series, though the modern version is far friendlier than the cloth-strips that once haunted the nights of old Kyushu.