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Hizo-no-mushi

Hizo no Mushi is one of the 63 terrifying germs written in Harikikigaki, a book of medical knowledge written in 1568 by an unknown resident of Osaka.

It's found in the spleen and causes dizziness and hot flashes when it grabs the host's muscles with its long arms and claws.

To stop it, drink the herb mokko or daio.

In the Harikigaki[]

Japan’s Kyushu National Museum holds a copy of the Harikikigaki — a 16th century medical text of unknown authorship which claimed that diseases were caused by tiny bugs that crawled into the body.

The Harikikigaki advises using acupuncture and herbs to deal with the germs.

The Belief[]

Well into the Modern Era (the late 19th century), Japanese people believed illness was spread by evil kami called yakubyogami. At first these gods were thought to take human form, but later, influenced by thinking in texts from China, some people came to think of them as little creatures as small enough to enter the body. The Harikikigaki, written in 1568, is mostly about acupuncture, however, this rare text includes 63 color depictions of the various mushi (germs) believed to cause diseases.

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