::Hari Onago::

In Love, Thieves and Fear Make Ghosts: old tales and new forms of Japanese ghosts, Innocent explores aspects of Japanese folklore in a contemporary context with styles borrowed heavily from the traditions of ukiyo-e (floating pictures) and manga (comics), and subsequent contemporary approaches such as Superflat. Showing at the Japan Foundation Gallery in Sydney until July 3rd, 2009.

Harionago (Japanese: 針女子)

Also known as Harionna (Japanese: 針女), is a frightening female ghoul in Japanese mythology. Her name literally meaning “Barbed woman,” the Harionago is said to be a beautiful woman with extremely long hair tipped with thorn-like barbs. Her hair is under her direct control, and she uses it to ensare men. She is said to wander the roads of the Japanese prefecture of Ehime on the island of Shikoku, searching for victims.

When she finds a young man, she will laugh at him, and if the young man dares to laugh back, Harionago will drop her terrible, barbed hair and attack. A youth once escaped from this monster by closing the door to his house on her; her hooked hair left uncountable gashes in the wood. Fortunately for
him the door was not of the paper sliding variety.