Emperor Sutoku: The Tragic Tale of Japan’s Demon King
When travelers imagine Kyoto, images of golden temples, geisha in Gion, and cherry blossoms usually come to mind. However, beneath the serene aesthetic of Japan’s ancient capital lies a history steeped in blood, betrayal, and the supernatural. Among the myriad of ghosts and goblins in Japanese folklore, few are as feared or as powerful as Emperor Sutoku, one of the “Three Great Vengeful Spirits” (Nihon San Dai Onryo) of Japan.
His transformation from a divine sovereign to a demon king is a story of heartbreak and rage that ultimately changed the course of Japanese history. For the cultural traveler, understanding Sutoku offers a fascinating glimpse into the Goryo faith—the belief in appeasing angry spirits—which is central to many shrines you might visit today.
Origins: The Hogen Rebellion
To understand the monster, one must first understand the man. Sutoku was the 75th Emperor of Japan, reigning in the 12th century during the Heian period. However, his life was far from the luxurious existence one might expect of royalty. He was a pawn in a brutal power struggle within the Imperial family, specifically against his father, the Retired Emperor Toba, and his brother, Emperor Go-Shirakawa.
Tensions boiled over in 1156 during the Hogen Rebellion, a short civil war that marked the rise of the samurai class. Sutoku’s faction was defeated. While execution was common for samurai, executing an emperor was taboo. Instead, Sutoku was stripped of his dignity and exiled to Sanuki Province (modern-day Kagawa Prefecture) on the island of Shikoku. He would never see Kyoto again.
The Legend: Becoming the Great Demon King
It was in exile that the human Sutoku died and the monster was born. According to historical chronicles and folklore, Sutoku spent his early years in Sanuki devoting himself to Buddhism. He painstakingly copied five Mahayana sutras using ink mixed with his own blood, hoping to send them to Kyoto as an offering for the repose of his ancestors and to seek forgiveness.
The Imperial Court in Kyoto, fearing the sutras were cursed, rejected the offering and sent them back. This final rejection snapped Sutoku’s sanity.
Legend has it that he bit off the tip of his tongue and, using the flowing blood, wrote a horrific curse upon the sutras: “I will become the Great Demon of Japan to curse the nation. I will make emperors commoners and commoners emperors.”
He refused to cut his nails or hair, looking increasingly like a Yasha (demon) until his death in 1164. When he died, it is said his body did not decay, and his coffin leaked fresh blood. Following his death, a series of disasters struck Kyoto—plagues, fires, and the rise of the warrior class (the shogunate) that stripped the Imperial family of political power, fulfilling his curse to “make emperors commoners.”
Modern Culture: From Villain to Deity
Today, Sutoku’s legacy permeates Japanese pop culture and religious practice. He is often depicted in Ukiyo-e woodblock prints as a Tengu (a long-nosed goblin) or a thunder god presiding over storms.
In modern storytelling, he appears in manga, anime, and historical dramas as a tragic anti-hero, representing the destructive power of unresolved grief. His story was famously immortalized in the Tales of Ugetsu (Ugetsu Monogatari), a classic collection of ghost stories from the Edo period, which remains a cornerstone of Japanese horror literature.
However, he is not just a monster to be feared; he is a deity to be worshipped. The Japanese approach to vengeful spirits is appeasement. By enshrining the spirit, the malice is pacified and converted into protection.
Traveler’s Tips: Tracing the Spirit
If you are visiting Kyoto or Shikoku, you can visit sites directly linked to Emperor Sutoku. These locations are less crowded than major tourist hubs and offer a deep atmospheric experience.
Shiramine Jingu (Kyoto)
This shrine was established in the 19th century by Emperor Meiji to finally bring Sutoku’s spirit back to Kyoto and appease him during a time of national turmoil.
- Highlight: Surprisingly, this shrine is now famous as the deity of sports, particularly ball games (due to the Kemari preservation society associated with the location). You will see balls left as offerings by soccer and baseball teams.
Yasui Konpiragu (Kyoto)
Located in the Gion district, this shrine houses Sutoku as a primary deity. Because Sutoku was forced to cut ties with everything he loved, he is worshipped here as the god of “breaking ties” (enkiri).
- Highlight: The “Power Stone” monument. Travelers crawl through a hole in the stone to break bad relationships or bad habits and crawl back through to bind good relationships.
Emperor Sutoku’s Mausoleum (Sakaide, Kagawa)
For the adventurous traveler heading to Shikoku, you can visit the site of his exile and his tomb at the foot of Mount Shiramine. It is a solemn, quiet place surrounded by nature, far removed from the bustle of the modern world.
Sources & Further Reading
To deepen your understanding of the historical and mythological context of Emperor Sutoku, consider exploring the following texts:
- Hogen Monogatari (The Tale of Hogen): A war chronicle (gunki monogatari) that details the Hogen Rebellion and Sutoku’s tragic downfall.
- Ugetsu Monogatari (Tales of Moonlight and Rain) by Ueda Akinari: Read the story “Shiramine” for a chilling, supernatural retelling of Sutoku’s transformation into a demon.
- Gempei Seisuiki: An extended account of the Genpei War that elaborates on the disasters attributed to Sutoku’s vengeful spirit.
While ancient texts like the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki establish the foundation of Shinto and the divine lineage of the Emperors, later texts like the Hogen Monogatari are essential for understanding the specific medieval shift toward the fear of Onryo that defines Sutoku’s legend.