Kuchisake-onna: Japan’s Slit-Mouthed Woman

Did you know Japan has an urban legend called Kuchisake-onna, also known as the Slit-Mouthed Woman?

The legend says she appears late at night on quiet streets wearing a surgical mask,

so she doesn’t seem suspicious at first. She stops people who are walking alone and calmly

asks one question: “Am I beautiful?” If you answer no, the story says she kills you.

If you answer yes, she removes the mask, revealing a mouth cut open from ear

to ear, and asks again. In the late 1970s, the story caused real panic across

Japan, with schools warning children and sending them home early. No one ever proved

she existed—but the legend says once she stops you, there’s no safe answer.