Nurarihyon ぬらりひょん

Nurarihyon (ぬらりひょん) is the “Supreme Commander of All Yokai,” a cunning and elusive spirit who infiltrates homes with such effortless authority that even the residents mistake him for the master of the house.

Meaning and Origin

The name is a combination of nurari (slippery or evasive) and hyon (an onomatopoeia for something floating up, or a reference to a gourd). Thus, he is often called the “Slippery Gourd.”

His origins are tied to the sea. Legend says he was once a large, round sea creature in the Seto Inland Sea that would slip away whenever fishermen tried to catch it. Over centuries, these slippery spirits moved to land and evolved into the sophisticated, elderly man we see today. Since the 20th century, he has been cemented in popular culture as the leader of the Hyakki Yagyō (The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons).

Characteristics

Nurarihyon appears as an elderly man with a very distinctive, elongated head that resembles a gourd. He wears the expensive silk kimonos of a wealthy merchant or the fine robes of a high-ranking Buddhist monk.

He is not a violent yokai. Instead, his “power” is total social infiltration. He slips into homes during the busy twilight hours when families are distracted. He sits in the best chair, drinks the family’s finest tea, and smokes their best tobacco. Because of his aura of calm authority, everyone in the house instinctively assumes he belongs there, never questioning who the mysterious guest actually is.

Legends

Nurarihyon is the one who rides in the most ornate palanquin at the head of the Night Parade. It is said that every single monster—from the massive Nue to the tiny Kappa—bows before him.

One legend tells of a stubborn homeowner who tried to trap the Nurarihyon with a heavy iron net. The old man simply smiled, sipped his tea, and as the net fell, he “slipped” through the air like a drop of oil in water, vanishing before the net even touched the floor. He represents the “Slippery Truth”—the idea that power is not about strength, but about being so completely at home in the world that no one can deny your right to be there.