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Every corner of the world, from sprawling continents to quaint villages, is rich with its own collection of local myths and eerie beliefs. These stories often feature vengeful phantoms, strange creatures, and unsettling apparitions. While haunted houses and cemeteries are common settings for supernatural tales, many legends focus on deities, demons, and specters that inhabit the most intimate space in any structure—the restroom. Indeed, even bathrooms are not exempt from spine-chilling narratives that will make you fear more than just a lack of toilet paper.
Whether it’s spirits severing limbs or a demon that thrives on human waste, restrooms offer anything but comfort. But when nature demands and you can’t delay any longer, let this list serve as your survival guide for any otherworldly encounters. It might just prevent you from being pulled into the abyss through the toilet.
10. Toire No Hanako-San
In this well-known Japanese legend, Toire no Hanako-san (“Hanako of the toilet”) is portrayed as a young girl with short hair and a red skirt. She resides in the third stall on the third floor of elementary school bathrooms. As the story goes, children daring enough to call upon Hanako must knock three times on the stall door and inquire if she’s present. Though she is typically seen as benign—albeit eerie—some versions of the tale warn that she may pull you into the toilet if you open the door after her reply, unless you can show her a flawless exam score.
Although Hanako's legend gained widespread popularity in the 1980s, there are numerous theories about her identity, her demise, and the reasons behind her haunting of restrooms. Some accounts suggest she died during a World War II bombing raid while playing hide-and-seek, while others claim she was strangled by an abusive adult who discovered her hiding in the bathroom. For nearly 35 years, Toire no Hanako-san has been a source of fear for Japanese schoolchildren. Some versions of the tale even describe her as a three-meter (10 ft), three-headed lizard that mimics a young girl’s voice to lure victims. Additionally, children are cautioned against scraping their knees on the playground, as it could lead to the “Hanako fungus,” a condition where mushrooms grow from the wound.
9. Sulak
In ancient Babylonia, demons and magic played a significant role in medicine and disease treatment. One common source of illness? The toilet. The primary Babylonian medical text, the Diagnostic Handbook, authored by Esagil-kin-apli, chief scholar of Borsippa, details a specific demon named Sulak. This creature lurks in secluded areas, often taking the form of a lion standing on its hind legs. Its preferred hiding spot? The toilet. Babylonians believed that individuals were most vulnerable while using the restroom, making it the ideal moment for Sulak to attack. As a result, they referred to disease as the “hand” of Sulak. This demon was also blamed for triggering strokes and seizures if restroom users failed to follow its strict rules of modesty and silence.
The Jewish community in Babylon also embraced the belief in Sulak, a demon said to inhabit toilets and inflict illness upon unsuspecting victims. Known as the “Lurker of the Latrine” or the “Demon of the Privy,” this entity is even mentioned in Judaism’s second most sacred text, the Talmud, where it is called Shed Bet ha-Kise. The text advises against visiting the restroom alone and emphasizes the importance of maintaining silence to avoid provoking the demon. Additionally, it warns that after using the toilet, one must walk at least half a mile before engaging in sexual activity. Failure to do so would result in the Lurker of the Latrine cursing the sinner’s children with epilepsy.
8. Kawaya No-Kami
According to legend, Kawaya no-kami, the Japanese deity of toilets, originated from the waste of Izanami, the goddess of Earth and darkness. This god was believed to safeguard users of early toilets, which were far more hazardous and dimly lit than today’s facilities. People often adorned their restrooms as shrines to Kawaya no-kami and occasionally “shared meals” with the deity, symbolizing the consumption of food the god had blessed. However, neglecting cleanliness or showing disrespect toward Kawaya would result in children being born unattractive and miserable.
While Kawaya no-kami offered protection from drowning and the promise of beautiful offspring, his legend also includes a chilling tale. Portrayed as a blind man, he was said to lurk beneath toilets grasping a spear. Failing to announce your presence by coughing before sitting down could turn a routine bathroom visit into a horrifying experience.
7. Aka-Manto
Aka-Manto, a malevolent spirit dressed in a red cloak and wearing a white mask, is said to haunt school restrooms, especially the final stall in the women’s bathroom. While this might seem unsettling, some believe that women find him oddly alluring and captivating.
This ghostly figure is well-known in Japan and Korea. He is infamous for lurking in restroom stalls and posing a chilling question upon entry: “Would you like a red cloak or a blue cloak?” Choosing “red” results in him slitting your throat and beheading you, causing blood to cascade down your back like a cloak. Opting for “blue” leads to being strangled until your face turns blue and you suffocate. Attempting to outsmart him by selecting another color? That’s a mistake—it will only result in him pulling you into the toilet and dragging you to Hell. The sole way to survive is to answer “yellow,” which will prompt him to dunk your face into the toilet filled with waste. Disgusting, but preferable to death.
The origins of this eerie legend vary, with some attributing it to a red-caped vampire terrorizing Tokyo and others linking it to a socialist banker seeking to incite fear during World War II. Aka-Manto didn’t become associated with bathrooms until the 1980s, where he has remained a popular figure in ghost stories ever since.
6. Zi-Gu
Zi-Gu, a toilet goddess, was a stunning woman married to an actor during China’s Tang Dynasty. Li-Jing, a powerful minister, became infatuated with her, leading him to murder her husband and take her as his mistress. One day, while Zi-Gu was in the restroom, Li-Jing’s jealous wife ambushed her from behind a stack of toilet paper and killed her. The stall where she died became infamous for eerie moans and wails, terrifying anyone who dared to use it.
This haunting continued until Empress Wu Zetian elevated Zi-Gu’s spirit from a vengeful demon to the status of Toilet Goddess. Grateful for her liberation, Zi-Gu ascended to Heaven, occasionally manifesting as a radiant woman enveloped in clouds. Today, she is honored during the Lantern Festival on the 15th night of the first lunar month. Devotees hold up a paper or wooden puppet and chant, “Li Jing has left with his official wife, let Zi Gu appear.” When properly venerated, she ensures the restroom remains safe, blessed, and clean.
In an alternate version, she is known as Qi Gu, forced into becoming the concubine of Liu Bang, the Han Dynasty emperor. After Liu Bang’s death, his wife Lu Hou brutally mutilated Qi Gu, severing her limbs, gouging out her eyes, and cutting out her tongue, transforming her into a “human pig.” Lu then discarded Qi Gu into the toilet, where her ghostly hauntings began. Eventually, Qi Gu was also blessed and elevated to the role of Toilet Goddess.
5. Akaname
Imagine a creature with a humanoid body, a goblin-like face, greasy hair, one elongated toenail on each foot, and a disturbingly long tongue dripping with toxic saliva. While his appearance might make him seem like a nightmare, this Japanese bathroom spirit is far less dangerous than he appears. Emerging from filth and drawn to uncleanliness, Akaname’s sole mission is to lick away dirt and grime from hard-to-reach areas in restrooms. Legend suggests that Akaname was created as a way to encourage children to maintain bathroom cleanliness.
Despite the possibility of spreading illness, Akaname is entirely benign and doesn’t aim to frighten anyone. His only desire is a spotless toilet, making him the most beneficial and practical spirit on this list. As long as you avoid his venomous tongue, you’ll never need to clean the bathroom again—provided you can tolerate his horrifying looks.
4. Belphegor
Belphegor, the Judeo-Christian demon associated with discoveries, inventions, and sloth, often takes the form of a beautiful woman, tempting victims with riches to lure them into greed and selfishness. Those less fortunate witness his true form: a horned, bearded demon with a gaping mouth, sharp claws, and a throne shaped like a toilet. Alternatively, he may appear as a phallus. The Moabites once worshiped Belphegor on Mount Phegor in the Middle East. According to rabbis, summoning Belphegor required sitting on a toilet and performing one’s business.
Another method of worship involved exposing all bodily orifices, turning around, relieving oneself, and presenting excrement as an offering to the demon. Essentially, Belphegor is a lazy demon who spends his days on a toilet, feasting on human waste, which he considers a delicacy. So, the next time you answer nature’s call, remember that whatever goes into the toilet might become Belphegor’s next meal. In return, you might be blessed with wealth and success.
3. Jinn
Jinn, or genies, are supernatural beings in Islamic lore, described as smokeless flames. They possess the ability to interact with humans and objects at will. The Quran states that jinn can see you, but you cannot see them. Due to their malevolent nature, jinn are known to dwell in filthy toilets.
What should you do if you come across one of these demons while using the bathroom? If the jinn in your toilet sounds like Robin Williams, consider yourself fortunate; others are known to possess their victims, leading to lasting madness. This is why jinn have always been, and continue to be, feared by followers of Islam. Prophet Muhammad advised seeking refuge in Allah by reciting specific Quranic verses and invoking Allah’s name before undressing and using the toilet. This creates an invisible barrier, shielding your private parts from the jinn’s sight.
2. Cloacina, Stercutius, And Crepitus
Ancient Rome had no shortage of deities tied to restrooms, including Cloacina, the goddess of sewers, and Stercutius, the god of dung. However, their main toilet god was Crepitus, who not only governed latrines but also presided over flatulence. Yes, the Romans had a deity dedicated to farts.
Mythology states that Crepitus was invoked during bouts of constipation or diarrhea. While helpful, he wasn’t a deity one wished to encounter frequently. Cloacina, however, was highly practical, called upon when sewers clogged or overflowed. In the eighth century B.C., the Sabine king Titus Tatius even built a shrine in her honor, highlighting Rome’s reliance on her for maintaining an efficient sewer system. Stercutius also held significant importance, as his dominion over dung and excrement linked him to agriculture—manure being essential for fertile crops.
Why did the Romans have so many toilet-related gods? They were deeply fearful of toilets, believing that demons and evil spirits inhabited the sewers. They thought that using the toilet left a person exposed and defenseless against the malevolent forces below. To counter this, the Romans devoutly worshiped their toilet deities, hoping these gods would keep the sewers flowing, alleviate bodily discomfort, promote crop growth, and shield them from malicious spirits lying in wait.
1. Kashima Reiko
According to legend, Kashima Reiko was brutally assaulted by a group of men, left severely injured, and abandoned to die. Desperate for help, she crawled onto railway tracks and lost consciousness, only to be struck by a train, which severed her at the waist. Her painful death transformed her into an Onryo—a vengeful ghost often featured in Japanese tales. Searching for her missing legs, she frequents school restrooms but is also known to appear in home bathrooms.
The story also warns that Kashima Reiko will visit anyone who hears her tragic tale within a month. To avoid losing your legs, you must answer “On the Meishin Expressway” if she asks where her legs are. When she questions, “Who told you that?” the correct reply is “Kashima Reiko told me.” However, if she asks her name, it’s a trap. Translating her name to “Mask Death Demon” will make her leave you alone.
