It’s summer here in Japan, so that means I’m fighting a constant battle against almost supernaturally powerful mold. But did you know that there is an actual mold yokai? And a bunch of other sneaky creatures that could be crawling around your house, hiding in the walls and floorboards. Along with the even more terrifying…
The Inhabitants of Yokai Street
Cat Yokai! All 5 Kinds of Supernatural Cats from Japanese Folklore
Kaibyo is the general term for supernatural cat yokai. The first character is the kai from yokai, which means strange, or scary, the second character, byo is just another pronunciation for the character of neko, or cat. So Kaibyo translates to strange cats. Although to be honest, I feel like this just describes most cats!…
The Amabie and 11 Others — All Yokai with Disease-Preventing Legends!
You’re probably already familiar with the amabie (pronounced amabié). Because of old legends about its image being able to prevent epidemics, this lucky yokai has been making the rounds on social media, and even on national television here in Japan. It’s the most media attention a yokai has gotten in a while! But there are…
Inugami: The Dog Yokai
Inugami are one of the more tragic yokai. Malicious onmyoji perform a terrible ritual to bring these loyal dog servants into being. The Meaning Behind its Name Kanji: 犬神, the first character 犬 means dog, while 神 the second, kami, means god, so the direct translation of this yokai’s name would be dog-god. Another way…
Kiyohime: The Snake-Woman Yokai
Kiyohime is one of those rare yokai who started off as a human, but whose emotions ran so deep, she ended up transforming into something much more monstrous… You can read her story of love and vengeance below! The Meaning Behind her Name Kanji: 清姫 , the first character 清 means pure, or clear, the…
Byakko: The White Tiger Yokai
The Byakko isn’t just any tiger, it’s the Celestial Tiger of the West, King of the Beasts, and a supernatural being dwelling in the heavens. The Meaning Behind the Name Kanji: 白虎, meaning White Tiger. Japanese pronunciation: びゃっこ, or Byakko. Chinese pronunciation: Bái Hǔ. Also known as 西方白虎, The White Tiger of the West (pronounced…
Akaname: The Toilet-Licking Yokai
Sometimes yokai are terrifying monsters, sometimes yokai are otherworldly nature spirits, and sometimes…. they’re the akaname. A toilet licking yokai with a tongue twice as long as it’s body, the akaname is one of the most comedic creatures to have ever graced the pages of Japanese folklore. The Meaning Behind the Name Kanji: 垢嘗: “垢”…
Abe No Seimei: The Japanese Merlin
Abe no Seimei (安倍 晴明) was the greatest onmyoji (Japanese wizard) to ever have lived. Much like Merlin, although he was once a real person, his life is surrounded by fascinating tales of his supernatural abilities! Onmyoji: Japanese Wizards The word onymoji directly translates to “those who study yin and yang”, they are those who…
Raiju: The Thunder Beast Yokai
The Meaning Behind the Name Kanji:雷獣 (Raiju, meaning “Thunder Beast” or “Thunder Animal”) Hiragana: らいじゅう The Raiju’s Physical Appearance The Raiju is a divine beast intimately connected with lightning and thunder. Beyond that basic fact, Raiju are one of the most difficult yokai to definitively describe. There are many, many Raiju legends, but this actually…
Jorōgumo: The Spider-Woman Yokai
The jorōgumo, part beautiful woman, part spider, is one of the most memorable yokai from Japanese folklore. This article covers everything you need to know to keep from getting caught in her web! 1. The Meaning Behind the Jorōgumo‘s Name Hiragana: じょろうぐも, which in English, is pronounced Jorogumo. Kanji: 絡新婦 ( meaning Entangling Bride) or…
Shikigami: the Servant Spirits of Onmyoji
The Legend of the Shikigami The Meaning Behind the Name Kanji: 式神 (shikigami) or 式の神 (Shiki-no-kami) Hiragana: しきがみ The shiki (式) in 式神 means ceremony, while the kami (神) translates to god, so the meaning can be interpreted as a form of god summoned by, or used in a ceremony. They are also known as…
Tatsu: The Japanese Dragon Yokai
There are many legends of dragons around the world. However, Japanese dragons are very different from their western counterparts. The Japanese yokai dragon, like many other East Asian depictions, is wingless, with a long serpentine body and short legs. Japanese dragons are closely linked with water, as they were originally considered water gods. Due to…
Kamaitachi: The Weasel Yokai
The Meaning of its Name Kanji: 鎌鼬, meaning Sickle-Weasel Hiragana: かまいたち Other names: kazakama (風鎌, “wind sickle”), akuzen-kaze (possibly written 悪旋風, “evil whirlwind”), taiba-kaze (堤馬風), izuna (飯綱, least weasel), nogama (野鎌, “wild sickle”), muchi ((鞭, “whip”) and Qiongqi (窮奇 the Chinese version of the kamaitachi) Appearance of the Kamaitachi The Kamaitachi, or Sickle Weasels, are…
Hyakki Yagyo: The Night Parade of One Hundred Yokai
The Meaning of the Name: Kanji: 百鬼夜行, pronounced as Hyakki Yagyō or Hyakki Yakō. The most literal translation would by The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons (however, in this article I will be abbreviating the name to The Yokai Parade or The Night Parade). The History of the Hyakki Yagyō In Japan, folklorists have…
Chochin Obake: The Lantern Yokai
The Legend of the Yokai Lantern The Yokai Lantern’s origins: The idea of a living lantern, a chōchin obake, has its origins in Japanese religion. The union of Shintoism and Buddhism led to the idea that every thing, animal, person, object, has a soul. This led to a belief in things called tsukumogami, or living…
Gashadokuro: The Giant Skeleton That Wants to Eat You
The Meaning of the Gashadokuro’s Name Kanji: 餓者髑髏 . Gashadokuro literally means “starving skeleton”, where 餓者 means “starving” and “髑髏” means “skeleton”. Also known by 大髑髏, or O-dokoro, which directly translates to “big skeleton”. Hiragana: がしゃどくろ The Gashadokuro’s appearance The Gashadokuro is one of the most easily recognisable of Japanese yokai. It is often seen…