Sleep myoclonus is the involuntary muscle movement caused by shifting from one sleep phase to another. Experts suggest this could be the reason many of us experience falling sensations when we sleep. However, it is believed by many that these sensations are not explained fully by science, but by something a little more organic: our souls. For years, people around the world have blamed our souls for abandoning our physical bodies, (creating the feeling of falling) while we sleep only to create mischief wherever it may go. If this is true, then where does it go and what does it do?
In 1663 CE, Japan, a horror story collection was published called the Sorori Monogatari. In this collection, a story was written about a man who witnesses the head of a woman, separated from its body, roaming the streets late at night. Fearing what he saw, the man draws his sword and begins chasing the head, intending to strike it. To his surprise, the head flees in terror of him and floats down the road, disappearing into a home where people claim they heard a woman’s voice from inside say she had a terrifying dream about a man chasing her with a sword. The woman said that it was only when she returned home, she woke up. In the story, the woman’s head is thought to be a representative of her soul; however, many Japanese believed the woman’s head roamed due to something a little more sinister.
The Yōkai or “strange apparition”, are a type of spirit born from evil or sins against God. Typically, they are monster-like in appearance with the ability to shape shift into animals or other inanimate objects. Even so, there are two types of Yōkai that are not born as creatures, but as humans: the Rokurokubi and the Nukekubi. Although the two are quite similar, each have their own uniqueness.
Of the two, the Nukekubi appeared in Japanese legends hundreds of years prior to the Rokurokubi. This suggests that their character and features had changed over time and altogether were founded as another species entirely. The word Nukekubi closely translates to “removable neck”, and as you can guess, its not just a clever name. During the day, the Nukekubi present themselves as normal, everyday women. In fact, many Nukekubi don’t even realize what they truly are. They could be mothers, daughters, servants, or even someone’s grandmother. Their diets are normal and do not consist of anything out of the ordinary. That is, of course, until the sun goes down.
When a woman infected with the Nukekubi falls asleep, her true self awakens causing her head to detach from her body and become an entity all its own. In this form, the Nukekubi begins to crave blood and will send its floating head to hunt and torment children and small animals by biting and drinking their blood. However, no one is truly safe from the Nukekubi as their blood cravings are strong.
Naturally, it is considered a great shame to be known as a Nukekubi and if one is found out, there are many ways it may be killed. Some have considered feeding it the liver of a white-haired dog as animals with white hair have been thought to have healing and cleansing properties. When the head and body separate, it is not permanent. In fact, if the head does not find the host body by morning sunrise, the Nukekubi will die. So, hiding the body from the head is a common strategy. Killing the head directly is a tactic often used when dealing with these Yōkai, that is, of course, if one holds the courage for such a thing.
A couple hundred of years after the first Nukekubi sightings were recorded, a cousin to this Yōkai was born: the Rokurokubi. Translated, Rokurokubi means “pulley neck” or “long neck”. The Rokurokubi are described as being much like their predecessors; normal, everyday women with everyday diets, and in many cases, completely unaware of their nightly benders. However, there are a few small details that separate the Rokurokubi from the Nukekubi.
Much like the Nukekubi, when a Rokurokubi woman is asleep, her head detaches from her body and begins to form its own entity. Only this time, the head is not as free to roam. As their name suggests, the Rokurokubi’s head is limited by its own elongated neck while it is still attached to the body. The main agenda of the Rokurokubi is unknown as it does not carry the same blood lust as the Nukekubi. In fact, the Rokurokubi has a craving for something a little less threatening: lamp oil. Although, during a time when lamp oil was depended on heavily, it could be considered threatening when a floating head drinks it all. When not consuming lamp oil, the Rokurokubi are known to be pranksters and enjoy scaring locals by screaming and intimidating them with their devilish appearance. It is said they have a particular soft spot for antagonizing drunks. Maybe because it is so easy?
As you can see, both Yōkai have many things in common with very few differences. Similar in appearance and origin, the Nukekubi and the Rokurokubi are also believed to both be curses brought on by evil or sins against God. For example, if a woman commits adultery, she may find herself waking up with the taste of blood or lamp oil in on her lips. However, in many cases, it is known that a woman may become cursed by no wrongdoing of her own, but by the men in her life like a father or a husband. If a man commits a sin, his punishment would be the humiliation of having a monster as a wife or daughter, and in many cases, the infected woman may divorce her husband, ceremoniously cut her hair off, and take her life. Although Nukekubi encounters are few and far between in the modern world, the question begs how many women would follow suit of their ancestors if they found themselves cursed due to the misdeeds committed by men in their lives?
For some, probably the worst way to become one of these Yōkai is by birth. As the legend states, only women carry the curse, (though a few male encounters have been recorded) and therefore, it can be passed down to daughters. Children born as a Nukekubi or a Rokurokubi are often sold to brothels or to freakshows as curiosities.
So, what do you think? Could the sensation of falling while sleeping be explained simply by science? An uncontrollable muscle spasm while we shift gears in sleep mode? If so, then how about the soul? Where does it go when we sleep? What does it do? We are led to believe our souls are invisible to the human eye, but if one’s soul is cursed, does that still remain true? One thing is for sure, the next time you fall asleep, you might want to mind your head.
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