fbpx

KidsKonnect

Oni Facts & Worksheets

‘oni’ derives from the on'yomi reading of a character, which means ‘to hide’ or conceal due to an oni's tendency to hide behind things and not wanting to appear and be seen

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Fun /Oni Facts & Worksheets

Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

In Japanese folklore, an oni is a form of demonic creature that is often of enormous size, great strength, and frightening appearance.

See the fact file below for more information on Oni or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Oni worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ORIGIN (JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY)

  • They are generally thought to be of foreign origin, possibly introduced into Japan along with Buddhism from China. Despite being cruel and malevolent, they can be converted to Buddhism.
  • According to an old etymology reading of the word, ‘oni’ derives from the on’yomi reading of a character, which means ‘to hide’ or conceal due to an oni’s tendency to hide behind things and not wanting to appear and be seen. 
  • This interpretation was found in the 10th-century dictionary, Wamysh, which discloses that the oni had a different meaning at the time, defined as “a soul/spirit of the dead.”
  • The oni merged with Hindu-Buddhist creatures like the man-devouring yaksha and the rakshasa to become the oni who tormented sinners as Hell’s wardens (jigoku), enforcing sentences imposed by Hell’s magistrate, King Yama or Enma Daio. 
  • The hungry ghosts known as gaki have also been thought to be a type of oni (the Kanji for ki is also read oni). As a result, a wicked soul who has not been rehabilitated becomes an oni after death. 
  • Only the evilest people become oni while still alive, and these are the oni who cause problems for humans in folk tales.
  • The oni bring disaster to the land by causing war, plague, illness, earthquakes, and eclipses. They also have the devastating capabilities of causing lightning and thunder. 
  • Their auditory or visual effects also frighten people. Oni have a ravenous appetite for human flesh and can consume an entire person in a single gulp. They are said to consume human flesh after sucking its vital energy. 

THEIR APPEARANCE

  • As the term ‘oni’ gained popularity over similar terms such as mononoke (vengeful spirits), oni evolved from a primarily invisible spirit to a grotesque creature with a distinct form.
  • In Japanese art, oni are depicted with a variety of skin colors, which include black, blue, green, red, and yellow skin, and they frequently have large locks of unkempt hair.
  • Oni are sometimes depicted with a third eye in the center of their forehead. In many other cases, an oni may resemble a cyclops, with only one eye. 
  • Oni have large mouths and long, almost tusk-like canines. 
  • Their powerful limbs have clawed hands and feet, and they are frequently shown carrying their preferred weapon: a large, heavy iron hexagonal club known as a tetsubō, which is used for torturing victims.
  • Though oni are usually portrayed in varied forms in Japanese myth and art, including as women, they are typically thought to be pink, red, or blue-gray in color, with horns, three toes, three fingers, and, on rare occasions, three eyes.
  • Furthermore, oni typically have one or two short horns that resemble those of an ox. They are usually depicted wearing little to no clothing, but when they are clothed, they wear a tiger-skin loincloth. 
  • The use of ox horns and tiger skin is a play on ushitora, the Japanese word for the northeast. In Japanese folklore, this direction was meant to be referred to as kimon, or “oni’s gate.”

MYTHS ABOUT THE ONI

  • Due to their resemblance to demons or evil spirits described in Christian traditions, the term oni is frequently translated into English as ogre or demon. Oni, with the exception of demons in Christianity, are not deemed to be inherently evil. 
  • Rather, they are thought to be vengeful and uncontrollable, but still capable of being converted to Buddhism.
  • According to Japanese Buddhism, oni are one of the six orders of life in the samsara cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. 
  • When a particularly evil person dies, it is presumed that they will be reborn or transformed into an oni.
  • In some stories, a person can become so evil that they turn into an oni even before death. 
  • According to Shinto myths, an aramitama, or part of the soul of either a deity or a mortal, would become an oni if that person or deity was disrespected or treated unfairly in some way.
  • Oni are said to live in jigoku, also known as Buddhist hell, where they serve Enma Daio, the ruler of Jigoku and Meido.
  • According to Enma Daio’s judgment, the oni punish and torture others who were wicked in their previous lives but not wicked enough to transform into oni. They are also known to arise from jigoku (hell) to punish and terrify evil mortals.
  • On the other hand, onis are said to be capable of turning into both male and female forms at will and can transform from their grotesque form to a handsome man in order to gain their victim’s trust.

ONI IN POPULAR MEDIA

  • Momotaro, the Peach Boy 
    • Momotaro is a well-known story about an elderly couple who were unable to conceive a child until one day they discovered a giant peach in the river, which miraculously gave them a boy. However, as the boy grows older, he discovers that people on the island are held captive after demons and onis stole their food and treasures. Momotaro was able to recover the treasures stolen from them by the onis at the end of the story.
  • Oni Mask
    • Oni mask tells the story of a young girl who works at a lady’s house to help her sick mother. After she finishes her work, she talks to a mask of her mother’s face to console herself. Her coworkers decided to play a prank on her by replacing the mask with an oni mask. The girl interpreted it as a sign that her mother’s condition was deteriorating so she ran home. However, she encountered gamblers who forced her to look after the campfire so it would not go out. She used the oni mask to protect herself from the glowing flames, causing the gamblers to run in fear, thinking they were attacked by a real oni. They left the money so they took girl it and went home.
  • Onis are also popular in Japanese movies and animations. In the anime Dragon Ball franchise, onis are usually found in hell. They work as servants of the Underworld King Enma. In another classic anime Yu Yu Hakusho, onis (or ogres) are either assistants to the spirit world or are the enemies of the human race.
  • Appearances of these characters are often found in many Japanese horror films. They can either be evil spirits or humans-turned-oni that would bring havoc in the lives of the protagonists.

Oni Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Oni across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Oni which in Japanese folklore, is a form of demonic creature that is often of enormous size, great strength, and frightening appearance.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Oni (Mythical Creature) Facts
  • The Japanese Oni
  • Oni in many Cultures
  • Our Local Lore
  • The Red Oni who Cried
  • The Oni Mask
  • The Oni Festival
  • The Hannya Mask
  • Mask my Feelings
  • The Yokais in Japan
  • Shuten Doji

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the origin of the oni?

They are generally thought to be of foreign origin, possibly introduced into Japan along with Buddhism from China. Despite being cruel and malevolent, they can be converted to Buddhism. According to an old etymology reading of the word, ‘oni’ derives from the on’yomi reading of a character, which means ‘to hide’ or conceal due to an oni’s tendency to hide behind things and not wanting to appear and be seen.

What are the famous myths about the oni?

Due to their resemblance to demons or evil spirits described in Christian traditions, the term oni is frequently translated into English as ogre or demon. Oni, with the exception of demons in Christianity, are not deemed to be inherently evil. Rather, they are thought to be vengeful and uncontrollable, but still capable of being converted to Buddhism. According to Japanese Buddhism, oni are one of the six orders of life in the samsara cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

Where do oni appear in pop culture?

Onis are also popular in Japanese movies and animations. In the anime Dragon Ball franchise, onis are usually found in hell. They work as servants of the Underworld King Enma. In another classic anime Yu Yu Hakusho, onis (or ogres) are either assistants to the spirit world or are the enemies of the human race. Appearances of these characters are often found in many Japanese horror films. They can either be evil spirits or humans-turned-oni that would bring havoc in the lives of the protagonists.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Oni Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, May 24, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources