The Oni, also known as Namahage, originated from Japanese folklore. These creatures are best described as massive ogre-like, red demon, trolls with devilish horns protruding from the forehead surrounded by a mane of wild jet-black hair. These sharp clawed, imaginary humanoids are the root to any child or adult’s nightmare, and that’s exactly what the purpose of this crazy folklore monster was intended to do.

Legend has it, these hideous beings would roam the villages of Japan, stealing crops from the farmers and abducting woman from the town, dragging them high into the mountains never to be seen again. Not only would they seize the woman, they would come after the ‘naughty’ children as a source of protein. One day after really brainstorming up an idea, the people of a village decided to muster up the courage to make a ‘deal’ with these demons. The Oni being a ravenous but not so bright of a creature, was made a deal that would be impossible to accomplish. Since these ogres agreed to the terms, the bet was on. The village people bet the Oni that if the Oni could build a flight of stone stairs leading up to the mountains and the five shrine halls of the village located by the sea shore, one thousand steps in all, the villagers would freely give the Oni woman and children every year. If the Oni were not able to accomplish this by the next morning, the Oni were to vanish from the area and never return.

The village people believing these sluggish oafs would not be able to complete this project were in a surprise of a lifetime when they saw before their very eyes the Oni were almost complete with the flight of stairs with time to spare. Thinking quickly, a villager started to squawk and imitate the noises of a rooster waking up the village for the morning. The Oni heard the fake rooster call and believed they lost the bet. Being in dismay and embarrassment, the Oni held up to their end of the bet and took off from the village, never to return.