World and Lore / Historical mystery

Shuten Doji

Shuten Doji was a malicious Oni alleged to have carried out terrible raids from his castle on the slopes of Mount Oe. Charged with kidnapping and enslaving young women, and devouring the flesh of men, he was eventually slain by a band of worthy warriors ordered to put a stop to his misdeeds by imperial decree. To gain access to Shuten Doji's castle, the warriors cleverly disguised themselves as a troop of itinerant monks. Then, with the help of some divine gifts bestowed on them by avatars of the gods, they succeeded in lopping off the head of the evil Oni, which continued to resist them with its sharp fangs even after being severed from its ghoulish body.