Takiyasha-hime 滝夜叉姫

Takiyasha-hime (滝夜叉姫), the “Waterfall Demon Princess,” is perhaps the most famous female sorceress in Japanese folklore—a woman of noble blood who pledged her soul to the dark gods to avenge her family.

Meaning and Origin

Her name comes from Taki (滝 - waterfall), Yasha (夜叉 - a fierce nature spirit or demon), and Hime (姫 - princess).

Her origin is historical: she was the daughter of Taira no Masakado, the warlord who declared himself the “New Emperor” of the East and was subsequently killed by the central government. Legend says that after her father’s execution, the princess (originally named Satsuki) remained in the ruins of the Soma Palace. She performed a 21-day ritual at the Kifune Shrine, where the deity bestowed upon her the name Takiyasha and the power of Onmyōdō (sorcery). She represents Feline Rage and Revolutionary Zeal.

Characteristics

Takiyasha-hime is most famously depicted in the masterpiece woodblock print by Kuniyoshi, showing her standing in the ruined palace reading a magic scroll while a Colossal Skeleton (Gashadokuro) looms over her.

She is characterized by her Necromancy. She does not just fight; she raises the dead. She can summon the bones of her father’s fallen soldiers to form a single, massive entity. She is often shown with wild hair and a look of absolute determination, her very presence causing’s the palace’s wooden supports to groan and dust to rise as if the building itself is returning to life.

Legends

The core legend is the “Battle of Soma Palace.” When the imperial warrior Mitsukuni arrived to finish off the Masakado bloodline, Takiyasha-hime met him not with a sword, but with a scroll. She read a forbidden incantation that caused the very walls of the palace to dissolve into a massive skeleton that attempted to crush the intruder.

Legend says that although Mitsukuni survived and the palace was eventually destroyed, Takiyasha-hime escaped into the mountains on the back of a black wind. She is the archetypal “Witch of the Ruins,” a figure who reminds the ruling class that the blood of a rebel can never be completely washed away—it merely waits in the shadows for the right scroll to be read.