Three Great Ghosts of Japan

The three most famous ghosts born from early modern kaidan (ghost stories). Oiwa of Yotsuya Kaidan, whose disfigured face cursed her husband; Okiku of the Dish Mansion, who counts plates in a well; and Otsuyu of the Peony Lantern, who traverses the night carrying a lantern out of yearning for her love. Repeatedly recounted in kabuki, rakugo, and kodan storytelling, they form the archetype of the traditional Japanese ghost.