Nue 鵺

Nue (鵺) is the legendary “Japanese Chimera”—one of the oldest and most fearsome monsters in Japanese history, notorious for its unsettling, bird-like cry and its ability to bring disaster to even the highest Imperial courts.

Meaning and Origin

The name Nue originally referred to a nocturnal bird (the White’s Thrush) whose eerie, whistling call at night was considered a bad omen.

By the Heian period, the name was transferred to a specific monstrous beast. Its origin is first famously documented in The Tale of the Heike (14th century). Unlike many yokai that evolved from common folklore, the Nue is a creature of high legend, representing the chaotic forces that threaten the stability of the Emperor and the nation.

Characteristics

The Nue is a legendary chimera, famously described as having:

• The head of a Monkey
• The body of a Tanuki (Raccoon Dog)
• The limbs of a Tiger
• A Serpent for a tail

It can transform into a black, swirling cloud to travel unnoticed. Its most terrifying feature is not its physical strength, but its voice—a high-pitched, sobbing whistle that sounds like a bird but causes a deep, spiritual illness in anyone who hears it.

Legends

The most famous legend of the Nue took place in 1153 at the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. Emperor Konoe grew deathly ill, plagued by nightmares every night as a dark cloud hovered over the palace. The legendary archer Minamoto no Yorimasa was summoned to end the curse.

Yorimasa shot a single arrow into the black cloud, and the Nue fell to the ground with a horrifying scream. His retainer, I no Hayata, delivered the finishing blow. The Emperor was cured instantly, and Yorimasa was rewarded with the legendary sword Shishiō (The Lion King). The body of the Nue was sent down the river to prevent its curse from lingering in the city, and to this day, several mounds in Japan are claimed to be the final burial site of the “Great Chimera.”