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Oni (鬼) Is a State of Mind

When you hear the Japanese word oni (鬼), you may imagine a demon with horns, sharp teeth, and a large iron club.

 

But oni is more than a monster from Japanese folklore. It can also describe a state of mind.

 

Japanese expressions often use oni to describe someone who becomes extremely focused, strict, or even ruthless. A shigoto no oni (仕事の鬼), for example, is someone completely devoted to work. To kokoro o oni ni suru (心を鬼にする), “make your heart an oni,” means becoming deliberately strict even when kindness would be easier.

 

An oni is therefore not always evil.

 

It can represent the part of us that becomes harder, stronger, and more determined when circumstances demand it.

 

During Setsubun, Japanese people traditionally say, “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi”—“Oni out, good fortune in.”

 

But perhaps not every oni should be thrown away.

 

Sometimes, to overcome a difficult challenge, you need to find the oni within you.