Jorōgumo is a type of yōkai, a creature, ghost, or goblin of Japanese folklore. It is a spider that can shapeshift into a beautiful woman, so the kanji that represent its actual meaning is ‘woman-spider’. Just like its name, the Jorōgumo attempts to seduce men and eat their flesh. The Jorōgumo is a magical spider that can live for thousands of years.
When it reaches the age of 400, it gains special skills to seduce, ensnare, and eat young men. It particularly likes to invite handsome men home and weave them into its web. While some Jorōgumo likes to eat their victims at once, others keep them in their web and gradually consume them.
These spiders can’t be easily killed or poisoned, and they reign over other smaller species. The Jorōgumo’s guarded by the fire-breathing spiders, who ensure to snuff out any rebellion or protest against their chief. A person can identify a Jorōgumo, by looking at its reflection. Even in its human form, if placed against a mirror, it will resemble a spider.
In their spider form, the Jorōgumo is usually between two to three centimeters long. They can grow much larger depending on their age and diet. These spiders have beautiful, colorful, and vibrant bodies. But their primary strength lies in their threads, which are strong enough to hold a fully grown man.
These creatures usually live in caves, forests, or empty houses. They are extremely intelligent creatures, who can seduce a man with their conversational skills. They are also known to be indifferent, cruel, emotionless, and heartless.
Sources: YouTube Storied.