Mikoshi-nyūdō 見越し入道

Mikoshi-nyūdō (見越し入道), the “Anticipating Priest,” is a terrifying shape-shifting giant that uses a person’s own fear to grow larger and larger until they are literally crushed by their own looking.

Meaning and Origin

The name Mikoshi means “to look over” or “to anticipate,” and Nyūdō refers to a tonsured monk or a priest.

It is categorized as a type of Ōnyūdō (Giant Priest). The legend likely originated as a psychological manifestation of the fear one feels when looking up at a tall tree or a dark mountain peak at night—the sense that something is looming just on the edge of visibility, growing taller the more you focus on it.

Characteristics

A Mikoshi-nyūdō usually appears as a small, harmless-looking monk standing by a roadside or under a bridge. However, the moment a traveler looks at its face, its neck begins to stretch and its entire body grows upward at a supernatural rate.

The higher the victim looks to see the creature’s face, the taller the creature grows, towering over them until it is dozens of feet tall. If the person continues to look up, they will eventually fall backward, breaking their neck or dying of pure terror. In its true form, he often has red eyes, yellow hair, and long, claw-like fingernails.

Legends

To survive an encounter with a Mikoshi-nyūdō, you must use the power of “anticipation” against it. Folklore says that if you spot one, you must not look up. Instead, you must look down at its feet and shout: “Mikoshita!” (I have seen past you!)

If you say this boldly, the creature will lose its power and vanish instantly. Another legend suggests that the Mikoshi-nyūdō is actually a Mustelid (like a weasel or a tanuki) in disguise. If you can snatch the lantern or the basket it is carrying, you will find its true animal form inside, and the “giant monk” will be forced to serve you or grant you a wish in exchange for its life.