NUE 鵼 or 鵺
Pronunciation: NOO-eh
Etymology: Both characters for the nue are composed of two parts. One kanji is a combination of parts meaning “sky” and “bird,” and the other is made up of “night” and “bird.”
Overview
The nue is a wingless flying beast comprised of various animal parts. It is both a harbinger and bringer of suffering, calamity, and political unrest. Even those who only hear its eerie cry (Hyoo! Hyoo!) are said to fall upon misfortune. It is considered one of the more elusive yōkai, despite the fact that there have been many sightings of this dangerous chimera.
A notable account of the nue can be found in Heike Monogatari (平家物語), or The Tale of Heike, a collection of oral stories recited by traveling monks. The most popular versions were put together by a blind monk named Kakuichi in 1371.
In this compilation, the nue is said to have the face of a monkey, the body of a tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog), the limbs of a tiger, and the tail of a snake. Some variations have the tiger legs and tanuki body switched, so the body is striped and the limbs resemble those of a tanuki. At least one documented description from the Muromachi era (1336–1573) suggests a significantly less imposing appearance, where the nue is made up of the head of a cat and the body of a chicken.
If you look closely, you’ll notice something that stands out as odd about the nue (other than its overall appearance, that is). Despite it being referred to as a flying creature with the character for bird in its name, the nue lacks wings. Indeed, no one knows how or why it can fly. It just does.
While descriptions of the nue say it has the tail of a snake, you’ll often see it depicted with a snake as a tail. The end of the snake tail is the actual snake’s head, which angrily flicks out its tongue or spits fire.
Background and Popular Stories
The following is a retelling of a popular nue legend: Once upon a time, in the year 1153, night after night, a bank of black clouds emerged, covering the sky above the imperial palace. When they did, a pall fell over the entire city. Even the emperor at the time, Emperor Konoe, was affected by this strange phenomenon, suffering relentless nightmares and growing weaker and weaker by the night.
At a loss for what to do, all the emperor’s courtiers gathered to discuss the situation and agreed that it must be a nue. However, because the nue always remained hidden above the black clouds, it was impossible to defeat. Even the monks who sent up prayers to disperse it had no luck.
They finally decided to call upon the renowned samurai and famed archer Minamoto no Yorimasa to quell the horrid sky beast. After visiting a shrine (now known as the Yorimasa Shrine), he and his loyal follower, Ino Hayata, set out at the hour of the ox (2 a.m.)—the same time the nue arrived concealed in a mass of roiling clouds every night.
Minamoto no Yorimasa scanned the sky with his keen eyes and spotted the outline of the giant monster. He recited a quick mantra, a kind of Buddhist chant or prayer, then used his ancestral bow, named Raishōōdō or Raijōdō (雷上動), which means “Moving above Thunder,” and shot a single arrow at the ominous black cloud bank. He struck his target precisely.
Bellowing a bloodcurdling cry, the nue plummeted to the earth and landed near the northern part of Nijo Castle. Ino Hayata ran over and finished it off with his sword. The vanquished nue was then paraded throughout the city to celebrate the end of the wretched days and reassure everyone that it was indeed dead.
After the nue was slain, Yorimasa was presented with a tachi sword (an older style sword, the predecessor to the katana) named Shishiō (獅子王), loosely translated as “Lion King” or “King of Lions.” This sword can be viewed today in the Tokyo National Museum in Taito Ward, Tokyo.
One alternate ending to the story says that after striking down the vexing nue, two or three cries of a cuckoo bird were heard, and peace returned to the land. The emperor regained his health too.
Yet another ending tells that after the people so gloatingly celebrated the creature’s demise, an epidemic swept through the town, killing many—perhaps from a curse. Realizing that, even in death, the monster was making trouble and something needed to be done, they hauled its corpse into a canoe and floated it down the river.
Here the story fragments again. One legend says the nue was buried at the famous Kiyomizu Temple. In another more interesting ending, the canoe washed ashore in Higashinari Ward in Osaka. The villagers and priests, rightfully shaken by the giant dead hodgepodge of a monster, did the right thing and gave it a proper funeral ceremony, buried it, and built a mound to honor it. The grave was honored for hundreds of years, until sometime in the Meiji era (1868–1912), when it was destroyed to make room for construction. Almost immediately, the angry spirit of the nue began tormenting those who lived nearby, the development project was stopped, and the small burial mound paying tribute to the nue was rebuilt. It is still in existence today. Sadly, though, it’s not in the exact location as before. It has been moved and repaired due to being burned during World War II. You can still see the burn marks on the stone. It’s believed that praying at this grave, called the Nue Zuka (鵺塚), will bring about healing of childhood diseases.
In Modern Stories
The nue makes its fearsome appearance in numerous anime, manga, and games. It shows up as Zabimaru in Bleach and appears unnamed in Nioh 2, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, and Dororo. The nue turns up as a boss character in the video game Persona 5, complete with a snake with glowing yellow eyes for a tail. Its face isn’t a monkey, though, but all black with a thick white mane. More traditionally, the dangerous monster is featured in the Noh play “Nue,” written by Zeami Motokiyo.