Otoroshi (or Otoro) おとろし

Otoroshi (おとろし), the “Hairy Gatekeeper,” is a fierce and watchful guardian of sacred spaces—a beast that perches atop temple gates, waiting to pounce on the wicked who dare to enter a holy place.

Meaning and Origin

The name is a regional corruption of the word osoroshii, which means “scary” or “terrifying.” He is also sometimes called “Ke Ippai,” meaning “Full of Hair.”

His origin is mysterious, appearing first in 18th-century scrolls like the Hyakkai Zukan. He is categorized as a protector-spirit of shrines and temples. Unlike many yokai that haunt humans for food or mischief, the Otoroshi exists to enforce a moral boundary. He is the physical manifestation of the dread felt by those who approach a sacred place with an impure heart.

Characteristics

An Otoroshi is a hunched, four-legged creature entirely covered in long, wild, blue or orange hair. He has a fearsome face with protruding tusks, bulging eyes, and large, sharp claws.

He is a master of stealth, rarely seen by the pious. His favorite spots are the highest points of a structure: the roofs of storehouses, the lintels of Torii gates, or the beams above a temple’s main entrance. He spends his days perfectly still, looking like a pile of dusty old rags or a tangle of weeds, only revealing his true form when he strikes.

Legends

The “legend” of the Otoroshi is one of swift and brutal judgment. He primarily preys on birds like pigeons and sparrows that nest in the temple eaves, but his real purpose is human. It is said that if a person with a wicked soul or a mind full of malice tries to walk under a gate guarded by an Otoroshi, the beast will suddenly drop from the ceiling.

Before the sinner can even scream, the Otoroshi tears them to shreds and devours their remains, leaving nothing behind but a few scraps of cloth. For the honest and the faithful, however, the Otoroshi is completely invisible and harmless. He represents the idea that the “Scary” (Osoroshii) is only a threat to those whose own shadows have grown too dark.