Yuki no Onna

Some of the most well known inhabitants of Mori Isawa are the Yuki no Onna, the Snow Maidens. These uncanny and beautiful beings are believed to originate within the Spirit Realms, although scholars debate thier home realm. They also guard the rumored passage known as The Heart of Nature. Some think that they are humans transformed by the essence of winter that suffuses the forest even in the warmer months.

Snow Maidens are very fascinated with mortals. No one knows what draws these creatures to a certain samurai, but the Isawa histories are full of young men and women who become enamored of these beings and eventually disappear into the forest depths. Shiba Tetsu is one example of these encounters with Yuki no Onna although unlike others, he's able to return to his homeland after the said encounter.