Yorimitsu, also known as Raiko, is a legendary Japanese warrior hero (part of the Minamoto clan) who went on many bizarre, fantastical exploits in his day. Including when he defeated the Spider-Woman (Tsuchigumo), one of the most disturbing monsters in all of Japanese folklore.
One day, Yorimitsu was riding along with Tsuna, his most trusted companion, when before them they saw a skull, floating in the air, and ‘flying’ about. They followed the flying skull for quite a long time, before the skull disappeared inside the open door of a mansion, lain in ruins, that neither had ever seen before.
When they entered the mansion, there stood a white-haired old crone, whose eyelids falling over her head like a hat, and her breasts drooping down past her knees. The woman explained to them that she was 290 years old, AND that he was the housekeeper—for a house full of demons.
Just as Yorimitsu was reaching for his sword, the old hag transformed into the most beautiful maiden he had ever seen. He was frozen in amazement by her great beauty, and almost didn’t notice that she was now enveloping his body in a sticky gossamer. Finally snapping out of it, he stabbed her with his sword, but she vanquished instantly.
The two men then began to search the old mansion for, and in a corner of the cellar, they found a giant spider. It was injured—a broken-off sword point embedded into it’s body.
Realizing that this was in fact a obake (shapeshifting monster), the two men attacked her, eventually, after a great battle, dragging her from her lair, and killing her by cutting her thorax open.
Inside her carcass lay the remains of thousands of dead humans.
Picture Credits: “Minamoto Yorimitsu fights Tsuchi-gumo” by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, and “Spider Witch” by Gonzalo Ordonez Arias.