A piece of white cloth that has no exact meaning, present in Japanese culture and with various interpretations. The hitaikakushi [額隠] is this uncertain element. Below is a summary of why it exists, its theories, and how it emerged throughout the existence of Japanese folklore.
Eastern culture is very little explored by us Westerners, far from our reality; the Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, and others have a rich folklore. With many of the elements present in our culture, the different conceptions and definitions of them show that our world is connected in various aspects.
A common point is the presence of ghosts in Eastern culture, specifically in Japanese folklore. The yurei is one of these elements, present in the land of the rising sun, which is analogous to ghosts in the West.
For the Japanese – in their traditional Buddhist culture, we human beings possess a soul. Or spirit, for others. However, reikon is the name given to the soul or spirit of people.
Upon death, a person’s reikon leaves the body and enters what would be similar to purgatory in the Judeo-Christian culture of the West. And it is this spirit that adds value to Japanese mythology.
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Hitaikakushi – Bandana of the Yureis
The yurei are the most common forms of apparition in ancient texts and books. Their appearance is, in a way, uniform. Marked by white kimono garments – a reference to funerals from the Edo period Edo in Japan – and long black hair.
Tradition says that a person who died suddenly or violently, if the rites of passage from human life to spiritual life were not performed correctly, or if they are driven by feelings of hatred and revenge, the soul – reikon – transforms into a yurei.
However, what is more interesting is that some yureis have a kind of bandana, in the shape of a triangle, on their heads. This cloth – also white – is called hitaikakushi.
Appearing during the heian period – Japan between the years 794 and 1185, classical Japanese history – the books of the time show yurei wearing the hitaikakushi. However, little is known about its meaning.
It is speculated that artists restructured the eboshi hat – a pointed accessory used by the Japanese during the heian period, very popular at the time. However, the practice of depicting ghosts with the triangular hat disappeared in the edo era.
With its reappearance in modern times, there have been more speculations about the presence of the hitaikakushi on yurei. The first: it is believed that the ghosts ascended to the highest level in terms of spirituality and received a crown. This crown, sometimes referred to as the crown of heaven, is called tenkan.
The tenkan is placed on the heads of yurei to highlight their new spiritual state. The yurei ghosts are, traditionally, female characters who seek revenge. Therefore, upon receiving the tenkan, these spirits of women have achieved spiritual peace.
Hitaikakushi for Protection
Another perspective believes that the hitaikakushi is a symbol that serves to ward off demons from their corpses. As the spirit has left the body, the bodies become a piece of empty flesh without a soul.
The last theory – and a complement to the one described above – believes that the bandana keeps demons from entering the heads of the empty bodies and prevents these diabolical beings from resurrecting the corpse. Thus, the white cloth protects the body from the carnal and spiritual transition.
Indeed, Japanese culture is rich in many aspects, possessing an immense mythology that is still mysterious. The meaning of the triangular white cloth on the heads of female ghosts does not have a convergent meaning. But we must admit, in any case, it represents the ascension of purity and the decline of evil spirits.
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