01: The Yokai Legend - Kejoro

Kejoro, also known as the young haired prostitute, is a yokai with long flowing hair. She lived near the red lights of Japan's underbelly, luring people into her trap. Her victims were taken aback by the beauty of her hair.

Her hair was so dense that her face was obscured. If a man sees her from behind and misidentifies her as a woman he knows, she races over them and captures them in her hair.

She would occasionally fall in love with a man and pretend to be his lover, or she would give them her hair. The men were cursed and would have problems.

A young man came into the village one day and inquired about the woman. He went to every house and shop in search of the victims who had been caught in her trap.

A few days later, The Kejoro returned to the district in search of a new victim. She came across the man who was just sitting as she was investigating. She smiled as she posed as a beautiful geisha in front of him and approached him. She attempted to touch him. The man grabbed her and blew some powder at her, causing her to scream in terror.

When the man opened his disguse, he revealed himself to be a young monk sent to exorcise the evil Yokai.

As her long hair rushed toward the monk, an enraged Kejoro yelled. But the Monk snapped the Kejoro's hair and signaled the villagers, who threw more holy powder on her, blinding her. The monk quickly placed the shinigami on a talisman as the Kejoro fell unconscious, indicating that the Kejoro had been defeated.

She opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by villagers and bound. The monk stood in front of her, preparing to exorcise the female Yokai who screamed in terror for her forgiveness. She couldn't use her hair because it was covered in holy powder, making movement difficult.

With the monk's blessing, the villagers poured water on Kejoro, who was drenched and her hair was dripping. The monk then cut a lock of her hair and mixed it with water before giving it to the cursed victim. He became okay when he drank, ensuring that he was cured. The monk summoned the village barber to shave the yokai, who was now a helpless woman, and instructed him to cut all her hair in order to cure the victims.

The Kejoro screamed as the barber plunged a razor into her head. Her beautiful hair was brutally ripped from her head and fell to the ground as others picked one by one. The barber then lathered up her hair and shaved it smooth. Finally, the villai appeared content. The once beautiful yokai was now so hideous that she burst into tears because she was bald. She was led into the forest, tied to a tree, and abandoned.

After a few moments, the tearing bald Kejoro remained tied, but the ropes were cut and the Monk appeared. She backed away in fear, but the Monk looked her in the eyes and prayed a mantra, after which small stands of her hair grew, giving her the appearance of a boyish king, and she was covered with a shawl.

"What did you do?" Kejoro inquired.

"I grew your hair," replied the Monk.

"How come you shaved my hair and now you're restoring my power?"

" No, your hair won't be the same, but will grow into a normal woman's hair as years goes by. You're nothing but a immortal lady without any power"

"Why?"

" You are beautiful and you should do good deeds. I know who you are and you look like a troubled woman who seeks help. When I saw you getting punished I felt you did not want to live a life this."

He come close to her, " Your story won't have a good beginning but from my days a exorcist, this is the first time I am helping a helpless yokai, now go and do something useful" said the monk as he left leaving the Kejoro alone.

Fearful of facing the village, the Kejoro hid near a cart and traveled to another location as she arrived in a new town with many people. She was terrified as she crossed and covered herself as she approached the streets. She was walking when she noticed some children playing and a girl with long hair covering her eyes. She kept falling as she continued to play.

The children became bored and were told not to play with them, which resulted in the child crying. Looking at the girl reminded the Kejoro of her time as a Kejoro and her life before she died, as she remembered how she had long hair and maintained it. She approached the girl and assisted her in making a bun. Despite her bun, the girl's head was heavy. She took a sharp wooden shard that was near some boxes and asked the girl if she could cut some of her hair. As she cut her hair and trimmed her bangs, the girl sported a short look till her chin which looked like she was free. The girl thanked her as she went to join her friends. As she ran, women saw the girl and was admired by her look.

They asked where did she get her hair cut and the girl pointed at the Kejoro.

The women rushed to the Kejoro and asked, " Did you cut that girls hair"

"Yes, I apologize as I created a sin," she begs for mercy, but the woman asks if she can do it to their children as well, and soon, the Kejoro cut the hair of girls and boys, and then men. Slowly, women who had kept their hair long for a long time wanted to try her haircutting, and as time passed, women began to sport stylish looks done by the Kejoro.

But it didn't last long because many people suspected her of being a witch who appeared immortal due to her pale appearance, and she fled to various places before finally arriving in Shibuya, where she began living with the monk near the shrine as a pretend wife, and where she gradually began her business as a hairdresser, keeping her name as Katsumi Kejoro, and where she opened a shop near the shrine. She dresses as a woman in a black kimono, has shoulder-length hair, and began styling the hair of women and men who come into her shop. Though the Monk died over time, she continued to work as a hairdresser there.