noroi

Noroi is a Japanese term that means “curse” or “jinx” and refers to a supernatural affliction believed to be inflicted by a person, deity, or spirit to bring harm to a target. In folklore, noroi is often associated with misfortune, illness, or disasters that are thought to be caused by malevolent forces or individuals practicing magic.

The word is derived from the verb norou (呪う), meaning “to curse.” In traditional contexts, curses were linked to ritual magic, avenging spirits, or shamans and were sometimes countered through purification, protective rites, or talismans. The concept overlaps with related ideas such as onryō (vengeful spirits) and other yokai traditions that are believed to influence the living world through supernatural means.

Cultural significance of noroi rests on the belief that moral or social transgressions can invite misfortune from unseen forces. Protective practices include the use of talismans (ofuda), amulets (omamori), and ritual cleansing to avert or lift a curse. Noroi also appears as a literary and artistic motif, allowing exploration of fear, fate, and social anxiety within Japanese culture.

In modern media, noroi has been popularized beyond folklore. One notable example is Noroi: The Curse (2005), a found-footage horror film by Koji Shiraishi that presents a documentary-style investigation into a long-running curse’s ripple effects. The film is frequently cited within the Japanese horror genre for its cumulative, investigative approach to supernatural dread.

The term remains in everyday language as well, occasionally used to describe persistent bad luck or a sense of doom over a person, place, or situation.