Oe
Town is the Place to Go for Ogres and Ogre LegendsExperience the nasty but fascinating world of Oni
Oe Town is a beautiful rural town known for its many legends connected with oni (Japanese ogres or devils). There are many places in the town that are directly connected to oni or legends about them.
An oni can be many things, but most of them are very big and very ugly. Oni are believed to have come into existence through awe of and desire for powers most individuals will never have. In the same way, the gods were created through the prayers and appreciation of the people for good things.
Shutendoji
The most famous Oe Town story is about the Shutendoji oni gang who lived on top of nearby Mount Oe. They looked like little children, but they were actually heavy drinkers. They were always rough and vulgar, and often came into the town at the base of the mountain to rob the people and steal their young daughters. The people in the town were very afraid of them but there was nothing they could do. However, one year, the emperor ordered the brave warrior Minamoto-no-Raiko to take 600 men into the mountain and kill the entire Shutendoji gang. The oni were said to have all been killed, but scary stories about them continue to this day.
Japanese Oni Exchange Museum
This museum is all about Oni. It is divided four different sections. The first one looks at oni through their depiction in the arts, and features devil masks from around the world, and Japanese oni straw dolls, woodblock prints, etc. The second section of the museum introduces the oni legends of Oe Town through scrolls, photos and copies of painting from the Nanbokucho period (1439-1589). The third section shows oni roof tiles, a common sight on temple roof corners and tops, from all over Japan from the 6th century to the present. The last section is for children. It has picture oni books, animations and masks designed for kids. The museum also has a large (200 people max.) lecture hall. The entrance to the museum is guarded by a big oni statue. Open: 9:00-17:00 (enter by 16:30); closed Mon.
Onigawara
ParkWhen you get off the train at JR Oe Station, you will see a park in front of the station. In the park, there is a fountain and a long walkway. Both are decorated with oni face motifs. Even the sewer manhole covers have oni face designs! The 72 onigawara (oni roof tiles) on the walkway roof were made by tile makers from all over the country. The fountain, based on the Shutendoji myth, is an oni with six faces holding a sake cup in his hand.
Access
To get to Oe Town (Oecho) take the JR Fukuchiyama line from Kyoto Station to Fukuchiyama Station and then transfer to the KTR line. Get out at Oe Station.