Murdered spouses, Japan

Description:	Aaron Drumms transcribed interview of Nancy Arthur about murdered spouses in Japan. According to Arthur, a young woman named Oiwa was married to a young samurai and was pregnant. The young samurai fell in love with another woman and wanted to marry her. Oiwa was rich and he had no money, so he decided to poison Oiwa. The poison did not kill her, but it made her lose the baby and it changed her face. The samurai thought that Oiwa was dead because she was unconscious, and he went to his mistress. When Oiwa woke up she didnt know what had happened other than she had lost her baby. The samurai was stuck since Oiwa hadnt died, so he decided to push her off of a cliff while they were on a walk. With Oiwa dead, the samurai was free to marry his mistress. The night before the wedding the samurai saw Oiwas face in a lantern. He struck the lantern, but her face remained. After seeing her face he, too, fell to his death from the same cliff. Now people go to the cemetery where Oiwa is buried to pray for her so that she may rest in peace.
Origin:	2011-04-20
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/folklore/id/2157
Collection:	Indiana State University Folklore Archives
Subjects:	Legends People Homicides Spouses Murder victims Supernatural Ghosts Folklore

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