Makuragaeshi

What it is

The makuragaeshi is a type of yōkai, or supernatural spirit, in Japanese folklore. Its name translates directly to "pillow turner." These entities are known for approaching a sleeper at night and flipping their pillow over. In some accounts, they also reverse the direction of the sleeper's head and feet. While often described as appearing as a small child or a miniature warrior statue, their appearance varies widely across different regional tales.

Where it comes from

Legends about these spirits date back to the Edo Period and continue into modern times. Some stories suggest that people who die in a specific room may become the makuragaeshi of that location. Other tales attribute their actions to other spirits, such as zashiki-warashi in the Tōhoku region, or tree spirits in Wakayama Prefecture. The belief likely stems from ancient ideas about sleep and the soul.

How it is done

The primary action of a makuragaeshi is physical interference with a sleeper's bedding. It flips the pillow and can rotate the person so their head faces the opposite direction. In temple legends, simply hanging a scroll of the spirit or sleeping in a specific room is enough to trigger the event. Some stories describe the spirit pressing on the sleeper's body or leaving footprints.

Tools and materials

The central object involved is the pillow, which is treated as a boundary between the waking world and the dream realm. In historical contexts, special box pillows were used to induce dreaming. The spirit interacts directly with the sleeper's head and neck area, manipulating the position of the pillow itself.

What it is for

Folklore views the act as dangerous rather than playful. Ancient beliefs held that the soul leaves the body during dreams. If the pillow is flipped while the soul is away, it cannot return properly. This disruption was thought to cause illness, misfortune, or even death by severing the link between the spirit and the body.

Who does it

There are no practitioners who summon or control makuragaeshi. They are considered autonomous spirits that appear without invitation. Victims are typically travelers lodging in inns, residents of haunted rooms, or woodcutters working near sacred trees. The spirits target anyone sleeping in the affected space.

Peoples and places

These legends are found throughout Japan, with distinct variations by region. In Iwate Prefecture, they are linked to mysterious pillars and deceased relatives. In Gunma Prefecture, they are blamed on transformed cats. In Wakayama, they are associated with tree spirits. The Iwata District features a variant called makura-kozō, described as a nine-inch tall prankster.

What people believe

The core belief involves the ikiryo, or living spirit, which resides in the pillow during sleep. Flipping the pillow is seen as an inversion of natural order, cutting off the soul's path back to the body. This concept explains why reversing the head-to-feet orientation is feared. Over time, as these deep spiritual beliefs faded, the makuragaeshi became viewed more as harmless pranks.

How scholars and sceptics see it

Folklorists like Akira Takeda and Miyata Noboru have analyzed these legends. They note that the pillow serves as a portal to another dimension. Takeda points to historical texts where correcting a pillow's position was crucial for a deceased person's revival. Noboru suggests the legend reflects the fear of losing one's way between worlds during sleep.

Questions people ask about Makuragaeshi

Good reading and sources

• Makuragaeshi on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data