Japanese folklore warns of spiders that transform into beautiful women
Japanese legends tell of the Jorogumo, a predatory spider that can disguise itself as a seductive woman to lure unsuspecting travelers into its web.
The Jorogumo is a type of 'yokai,' or supernatural monster, that is said to be a golden orb-weaver spider that has reached 400 years of age. Once it achieves this longevity, it gains the ability to shapeshift into a beautiful woman. In many tales, she appears playing a lute or carrying a baby—which turns out to be a silk-wrapped egg sac—to gain the trust of men near waterfalls or lonely bridges.
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