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Ibaraki-doji was an <i>oni</i> (demon / ogre) in Japanese tales and legends from the Heian Era. The demon was known to go on murderous rampages throughout the countryside and across Kyoto. She would also fool innocent travellers and kill them, wearing various disguises to lure them in.<br/><br/> Once, she tried to kill the legendary samurai Watanabe no Tsuna as he was travelling, appearing as a beautiful maiden who needed help. When Tsuna approached, the girl transformed into an <i>oni</i> and grabbed him by his hair, flying through the air to Mount Atago. Tsuna, not panicking, easily cut off the demon's arm however, causing Ibaraki-doji to flee. Tsuna took the arm back as a trophy to his estate.<br/><br/> Seven days later, Tsuna was visited by his aunt Mashiba, and when he told her of his ordeal with the <i>oni</i>, she asked to see the severed arm. When Tsuna complied and brought it out, Mashiba suddenly transformed into Ibaraki-doji, who grabbed the arm and then flew away. So shocked was Tsuna that he did not try to stop the demon.
According to legend, Watanabe no Tsuna was challenged by a friend to spend the night at the Hojo Temple in Kyoto where he could have an encounter with the only demon left in Japan.<br/><br/> Disturbed in the middle of the night, he flailed wildly with his sword, cutting off the arm of the awful Ibaraki, the Demon of Rashomon. Later as Watanabe performs Shinto rights over the arm, Ibaraki returns disguised as his elderly aunt, retrieves the arm, and flies away.
According to legend, Watanabe no Tsuna was challenged by a friend to spend the night at the Hojo Temple in Kyoto where he could have an encounter with the only demon left in Japan.<br/><br/> Disturbed in the middle of the night, he flailed wildly with his sword, cutting off the arm of the awful Ibaraki, the Demon of Rashomon. Later as Watanabe performs Shinto rights over the arm, Ibaraki returns disguised as his elderly aunt, retrieves the arm, and flies away.<br/><br/> Here Watanabe sits before a box containing the arm, wrapped with sacred ropes known as shimenawa, used for purification. The disguised Ibaraki peers into the container, a look of alarm on her wizened face, her long white hair flowing down her back.