Love the creepy side of Japan? On the surface, all that people hear about Japan is their rich culture, and how weird some of their customs and inventions are. But aside from that, there is a darker side of Japan, including their unsettling urban leg...
Do you like dogs? Let me rephrase that: do you like dogs with human faces on them?
Well, then look no further.
A jinmenken, which roughly translates to "the human-faced dog", is a talking creature that has a human face instead of the typical face of a canine. They have been known to be able to speak and communicate with people. Some believe that they are the results of some sort of botched science experiment, while others think that they are the spirits of a unfortunate event.
Their appearances vary from reports, although many have described them as having the figure of a medium-sized dog. They are typically thought to feature dark fur and have an eerie look to them.
According to reports, a jinmenken has a rather rude way of speaking and tends to not like the company of humans. It is said that in many cases, a jinmenken will ask a person to leave them alone, rarely holding a conversation for long. I guess dog-human hybrids aren't that social.
Luckily, besides wanting some privacy, a jinmenken isn't that harmful and do not kill humans. At most, they have been known to chase cars around, reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour as they run. They are typically spotted in dark alleyways, stealthily moving down the streets of Japan.
Sometimes, the sighting of a jinmenken can be considered as a bad omen and could be seen before some tragic event. Some have also reported seeing one have claimed to feel a sense of dread or despair when they met its gaze. Of course, none of this is confirmed, but these are the most common emotions that are linked to jinmenken encounters.
These dogs reached a peak of popularity in the Edo Era (1603-1868). Jinmenken were mentioned in misemono, shows or exhibitions that were a vital part of culture during the Edo Era. In these shows, exotic and odd-looking animals were often displayed for the public to view, along with mystical devices and just about anything that was labeled as bizarre. There have been claims of taxidermied jinmenken being shown in them. Of course, they could have just been dogs with deformities or ones that have been purposely altered after death to look as if they have human traits. However, people still held close to the belief that they were actual jinmenken and the people that displayed them earned a good amount of money as a result. These witness accounts fueled the idea that jinmenken exist.
In more modern times, many people have reportedly sighted them at night while taking out the trash. They've been known to lurk around trash bins and dig through trash, hence why they are spotted there the most.
One reason for these alleged sightings can stem from none other than Japanese macaques. These are monkeys that roam certain areas of Japan and are covered in grayish and brownish fur aside from their face. Here is a photo of one walking:
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Skeptics believe that people have simply encountered a macaque at night and, due to the poor lighting, mistakenly identified the creature as a jinmenken. Macaques have a tendency to make human-like noises as well, which can make it seem as if they are able to speak.
Overall, there is no definite proof that they exist. However, there was one thing that I found very interesting as I researched this: Japan really likes things that possess human faces. This was brought to my attention by an article written by Brent Swancer on jinmenken, and I didn't notice how much Japan appreciates human features on objects until recently. For instance, they have an entire museum dedicated to rocks that look like faces. Also, if you've ever heard of the trend in Japan to grow watermelons into square-like shapes, then it may not surprise you that they have also grown watermelons to look like human faces. Trust me, if you look it up on google you will see the insanity yourself. It's crazy, but what else would you expect from Japan?
Could jinmenken be real or are people just seeing monkeys during the night? Only time will tell.
