A Hannya is a female demon (kijo) from Japanese folklore, most closely associated with the iconic masks used in Noh theater. According to legend, these demons were once human women whose overwhelming jealousy and rage transformed them into supernatural beings.

There are three stages of Hannya:
* Namanari – The least transformed, still resembling a human woman. She has small horns, uses dark magic, and can potentially return to humanity.
* Chūnari – A more powerful demon with long horns, sharp fangs, and stronger supernatural abilities, though still vulnerable to Buddhist prayers.
* Honnari – The final and most powerful form. These fully transformed demons have serpent-like bodies, breathe fire, and are consumed entirely by jealousy, leaving no hope of redemption.

The name Hannya comes from the Sanskrit word for the highest form of Buddhist wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā). The connection between wisdom and demons stems from the Noh play Dōjō-ji and especially Aoi no Ue, where the spirit of Lady Rokujō, transformed into a Hannya, is exorcised. As the demon flees, it cries that "the voice of wisdom is like a demon," creating the lasting association between Hannya masks and Buddhist wisdom.

Among the most famous Hannya in Japanese literature are Lady Rokujō from Aoi no Ue, Kurozuka from Kurozuka, and Kiyo-hime from Dōjō-ji.

All published appearances of Hannya from before January 1, )-(95)}} are public domain in the US.

Some notable appearances are listed below:

* Aoi no Ue – worn by the Lady Rokujō in her second-half appearance as a demon.
* Dōjōji – can be worn by the dancing woman in her second-half appearance as a snake, though the shinjya (真蛇) mask is also used.
* Genzai Shichimen – The story is about a woman who appears to Nichiren and reveals her true identity as a giant snake, but is transformed into a heavenly maiden by the Nichiren's recitation of sutras. In the scene where the serpent transforms into a heavenly maiden, shite appears wearing a woman's (tennyo) mask overlaid with hannya mask, and removes the hannya mask in the middle of the scene.
* Kanawa – the story of a woman who is divorced from her husband and becomes a demon, cursing him and his future wife, but is repelled by the prayers of Abe no Seimei.
* Kurozuka (known in the Kanze school as Adachigahara) – worn by the spinning woman of Adachigahara after she is revealed to be a demon.
* Momijigari – can be worn by the noblewoman after she is revealed to be a demon.

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannya Wikipedia]
*[https://myths-in-media.fandom.com/wiki/Hannya Myths in Media Wiki]
*[https://yokai.com/hannya/ Yokai.com]
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