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Shuten-dōji

Folklore
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Infamous oni leader in Japanese legend, slain by Minamoto no Yorimitsu

Detailed Definition
Shuten-dōji terrorized Kyoto, drinking blood and abducting women. In poetry, he embodies monstrous excess, the threat of the foreign, and the triumph of order over chaos, frequently appearing in heroic or nationalistic verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
Shuten-dōji, the oni king, haunts heroic poetry: "Shuten-dōji drank sake laced with poison—heroes watched him fall"; Poets use him to explore hubris: "His palace filled with stolen brides—Shuten-dōji’s pride became his grave"; In moral verse, he symbolizes excess: "Wine, women, war—Shuten-dōji’s feast was doom disguised"; His decapitation inspires supernatural imagery: "Head still spoke after it rolled—Shuten-dōji’s curse lives on"
Additional Notes
Shuten-dōji: A legendary oni (demon) king in Japanese folklore, leader of a band of monsters terrorizing Kyoto, ultimately slain by Minamoto no Yorimitsu. Represents unchecked desire and monstrous masculinity. In poetry, he symbolizes systemic evil, excess, and the hero’s necessary violence. Useful in epic or moral allegory; contrast with sympathetic oni for nuanced demonology. His sake-drinking excess offers rich metaphor for addiction or hubris.
Also Known As
Shuten Doji Sake Ogre
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