| “ | Po. | „ |
| ~ The sound that informs people that Ms. Eight Feet Tall is near. |
Ms. Eight Feet Tall (八尺様, Hachishakusama, also informally called Hasshakusama) is a type of main Japanese spirit (Yokai) that takes the form of an impossibly tall female specter often said to have a deep, masculine or an attractive, feminine voice in which she repeats the interjection "Po" [ぽ] repeatedly, and a habit of preying on children, usually ones who are nine to eleven years old.
Quick Answers
What is the meaning of 'Hachishakusama' in Japanese?
What is the significance of the interjection 'Po' that Hachishakusama repeats?
What age group of children does the Eight Feet Tall spirit typically prey on?
What does the Eight Feet Tall lady typically wear?
Appearance[]
Hachishakusama often appears as an eight-feet tall woman with black hair. She wears a white hat and a white dress sometimes with shoes such as sandals, white or black high heels or sometimes she goes around barefoot. Most people depict her as a beautiful and attractive woman (most likely to increase her manipulative nature and charisma). Some depictions usually describe her face as a beautiful woman, although some have her face with extremely soulless eyes and a twisted creepy smile. The spirit could possibly have shapeshifting abilities to disguise herself in public or even trick her victims into thinking she’s a normal woman.
How she hunts/captures children[]
Hachishakusama catches her victims by stalking the child for a few days or months. After that, she takes the child away from its family. It’s unknown how she takes them away, but it can be assumed that like most spirits, she can teleport near the child and take them away.
Biography[]
Hachishakusama can vary from a withered hag (akin to a beldam) or an attractive woman (as most depict her as), yet is always odd in terms of height. While her appearance varies between accounts, most eyewitnesses have stated that she dressed in a white summer dress and the wide-brimmed hat.
Hachishakusama attacks children instead of adults. This is due to the fact that children are easy to take advantage of and are still dependent on older family members, which Hachishakusama can mimic in order to lure her victims away.
Hachishakusama appears to be very similar to numerous other Japanese spirits in the fact she usually seen dressed in white with long black hair and is always female. This may have something to do with ancient Japanese folklore having female ghosts (Onryo) that often sought revenge on the living or grew malicious after death, with this same legend inspired fictional monsters like Sadako Yamamura, Samara Morgan, Alcina Dimitrescu, and Kayako Saeki.
Other Media[]
Otherside Picnic[]
- Main article: Hasshaku-sama
Hasshaku-sama appears as one of the antagonists in the series Otherside Picnic, serving as one of the Otherside Entities that Sorawo Kamikoshi and Toriko Nishina encountered in their ventures within the eldritch world.
Even if you Slit My Mouth[]
Check: Viola (Kuchi Ga Saketomo Kimi Ni Wa)
Hasshaku-Sama appears as the main heroine's best friend. In the series, Hasshaku-Sama adopts the name "Viola"[1][2][3]
Trivia[]
- The legend of Ms. Eight Feet Tall started to be known around 2008.
- Ms. Eight Feet Tall was featured in Iori Miyazawa's Otherside Picnic as both monster-of-the-week and one of entities that haunted the eponymous realm where many of the world's ghost stories come to life.
- The first antagonist we see in “The Mimic” is based off her.
