Translated as the “human-eating ghost”, jikininki are ghosts that feast on dead bodies. They often appear to have sharp, pointed teeth, but look like any other human being otherwise. Those special teeth are used to peel the flesh off of their recently deceased prey. Jikininki can be found around abandoned temples or ancient ruins in villages. They stay in these locations so that they can avoid contact with humans, but they must also be near people so that they can get food. These ghosts do not enjoy feeding on the dead, but they are forced into that situation in order to relieve some pain of their eternal hunger. They exhibit ghost-like traits that include appearing invisible during the day. Typically, Jikininki wait in temples at night to eat the dead flesh of those that are there for funerary prayer.

Jikininki are directly related to the hungry ghosts of Buddhism, who are constantly starving but cannot eat. When a living individual corrupts their soul by performing evil acts, they may be cursed to the existence of a jikininki if they cannot pass properly after death. Others may have been cannibals during their lives that transformed into jikininki as they ate more flesh.

More specifically, the legend of a monk named Musō Soseki exists. His legend tells of his travels on a pilgrimage that lead him to a small village deep in the mountains. At this village, the chief had just passed away and there was a rule in place that when a villager dies, those living must spend the night outside of the village or they could be cursed. Therefore, Soseki stayed the night in the village alone. He prayed over the chief’s body until a strange presence interrupted him. A dark shape creeped into the house and devoured the rest of the village chief’s remains. Soseki told his story to the chief’s son, who responded saying that this is just as the legend says. Soseki was concerned and asked why a monk does not pray for their dead, but the son told him that no monks have been in that region for generations. Soseki passed another monk on his way to the village and went back to ask him about this situation. The monk confessed to Soseki that the dark figure was him. He stated, “Long, long ago I was a priest. Because of my lack of conviction, when I died I was reborn as a jikininki.” The old monk disappeared immediately after this encounter.