Ameonna
A rain-bringing yōkai from Japanese folklore.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Ameonna (雨女, 'rain woman') is a Japanese yōkai thought to call forth rain, first illustrated in Toriyama Sekien's Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. In modern usage, the term refers to an unlucky person jinxed to have rain follow them, often ruining special events such as weddings or sporting events.
- field
- Japanese folklore, yōkai
- nationality
- Japanese
- known_for
- Yōkai that calls forth rain; modern term for a person who brings rain
Lore & Background
In Toriyama Sekien's Konjaku Hyakki Shūi, the ameonna is depicted as a woman standing in the rain and licking her hand. The explanatory text quotes the Chinese Gaotangfu, referencing the goddesses of Wu Shan who become clouds in the morning and rain in the evening, suggesting the ameonna is akin to such figures. There are no earlier statements about a rain-related yōkai, leading to speculation that Sekien invented the ameonna to satirize the Edo Period Yoshiwara Yūkaku.
Another tradition holds that women who lost their recently born children on a rainy day due to a kamikakushi (spiriting away) would become ameonna, appearing before crying children carrying a large sack. In Shimoina District, Nagano Prefecture, a similar figure called 'Ameonba' is said to appear on rainy nights, variously described as a yōkai that kidnaps children or a fallen god that visits on rainy days.
The ameonna is sometimes considered a bothersome yōkai that calls forth rain, but also a holy rain god that saves people by ending droughts.
Reader's Guide
The ameonna occupies a dual role in Japanese folklore: both a troublesome spirit that brings unwanted rain and a benevolent deity that ends droughts. Its origins are uncertain, with scholars suggesting it may be a satirical creation by Toriyama Sekien rather than a traditional folk figure. The modern usage of 'ameonna' (and its male counterpart 'ameotoko') as a term for someone who seems jinxed to attract rain reflects the yōkai's enduring cultural resonance. In popular culture, the ameonna appears in the video games Shadow Warrior (2013) and Shadow Warrior 2 as a being of the Shadow Realm whose tears bring rain, and in music as the title of a 2025 single by Deadmau5. These adaptations show how the yōkai continues to inspire creative works while retaining its core association with rain.
Did You Know?
- The ameonna is illustrated in Toriyama Sekien's Konjaku Hyakki Shūi as a woman standing in the rain and licking her hand.
- In modern Japan, 'ameonna' refers to an unlucky person jinxed to have rain follow them, often ruining events like weddings.
- Some traditions say women who lost children on a rainy day due to a kamikakushi would become ameonna, appearing with a large sack.
- In Shimoina District, Nagano Prefecture, a similar yōkai called 'Ameonba' is said to appear on rainy nights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ameonna?
Ameonna, literally "rain woman," is a Japanese yōkai whose defining trait is the ability to summon rainfall. She belongs to the broader tradition of nature-spirits catalogued in Edo-period monster compendiums.
What powers does Ameonna have?
Her sole supernatural ability is calling down rain, which is both the source of her name and the reason she features in folklore. She is not described as having any other magical or destructive capabilities.
Where does Ameonna first appear in literature?
She was first illustrated in Toriyama Sekien's Konjaku Hyakki Shūi, a well-known Edo-era collection of yōkai drawings. That depiction established her visual identity for later retellings.
What does "Ameonna" mean in everyday modern Japanese?
Today the word is used colloquially to describe an unlucky person who seems to drag rain along wherever they go. It is often said jokingly about someone who spoils a wedding, a picnic, or a sports game.
Is Ameonna considered a malevolent yōkai?
She is generally not portrayed as evil or dangerous; rather, she functions as a minor nuisance spirit tied to unwanted weather. Her "threat" is limited to ruining outdoor plans with persistent rainfall.
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