Metamorphosis of Aged Women Into a Yokai (妖怪) From the Viewpoint of Plastic Surgery and Gerontophobia

The aim of this study is to analyze the transformation of aged women into yokai in Japanese literature, examining this metamorphosis from the perspectives of plastic surgery and gerontophobia. The Noh play “Adachigahara” explores the transformation of an outcast into a monstrous figure, highlighting how poverty, isolation, and aging can lead to a person’s demonization, both metaphorically and literally. In “Rokujō no Miyasudokoro”, Lady Rokujō’s transformation into a vengeful spirit is tied to themes of aging, abandonment, and the societal devaluation of women as they grow older. Her supernatural metamorphosis is a way to reclaim power in a society that has rendered her invisible. In “The Life of an Amorous Woman”, the transformation is symbolic, as the woman’s loss of beauty and status leads her to be ostracized, reflecting how society often dehumanizes those who are old and poor. The Yamauba legend encapsulates the fear of the elderly, especially women who live on the fringes of society. Her transformation into a yokai represents the culmination of societal rejection, fear of aging, and isolation. From the view of plastic surgery, the transformation of women into yokai reflects contemporary anxieties about aging and the extreme measures some take to maintain youth. These women morph into beings that embody society’s vilification of the elderly, particularly targeting those who defy or do not conform to ideals of youthfulness. From the perspective of aversion to the elderly, the transformation into yokai symbolizes society’s rejection of the elderly, portraying them as figures of fear and revulsion.