Kyokotsu (Japan)

Kyokotsu are the vengeful spirits of people whose bodies were buried at the bottom of wells. The circumstances of such burials are often linked to violent deaths—such as murders, suicides, or accidents.

The Japanese horror movie Ringu, which was later remade into the Hollywood version The Ring, is thought to have been inspired by the legend of kyokotsu. Like Sadako, the main antagonist of the movies, a kyokotsu typically appears as a ghost wearing a tattered white gown or kimono with bedraggled, long hair. The only difference is that a kyokotsu has a skeletal appearance.

Discover more Asian ghosts in Ghosts, Spirits and Paranormal Entities from Asian Folklore and Mythology (Book 2).