The Japanese are rich in culture and ancient lore of fantastical origins. They pass down tales of demons, restless spirits, shapeshifters, and otherworldly creatures of great power that torment the living.The Japanese are rich in culture and ancient lore of fantastical origins. They pass down tales of demons, restless spirits, shapeshifters, and otherworldly creatures of great power that torment the living.
Yokai & Oni
Yokai and Oni are classes of otherworldly beings. Yokai have the ability to shapeshift. They can appear human, take on animal traits, or even disguise themselves as inanimate objects to lurk about and influence the living. The Oni are grotesque, horned and clawed devils with wild hair and the power to do terrible evils or immense good. They are considered powerful but ambivalent, it’s up to each individual Oni to choose which path to follow.
The Kappa or ‘River Child’
Is a water sprite, much like those of Greek mythology. They have an appearance likened to a Salamander with scaly skin, and webbed fingers and toes. They are dangerous and mischievous creatures that are said to kidnap and drown children. According to lore, they enjoy consuming human flesh. Tales of Kappa are told as a cautionary tale to scare children and teach the dangers of water.
Yama Uba
Yama Uba, very similar to Baba Yaga of fairy tales, is an old crone who lives isolated in the mountains and eats human flesh. She prefers the flesh of children but will pose as a beautiful woman and welcome lost travelers into her home. As soon as they fall asleep, she will pounce. She can ensnare her victims with her hair and whip them into a hidden mouth on her scalp.
According to legend, she was once a normal girl, but her family abandoned her in the wild because they couldn’t afford to keep her. She took refuge in a cave and slowly went mad, began feeding on humans, and developed inhumane characteristics.
Nure-Onna, The Snake Woman
These demons are half woman half snake and are considered one of the most dangerous supernatural beings in their culture because they exist solely to torment humans.
The Nure-Onna d likes disguising herself as a damsel in distress with a little baby in tow. Once a kind person offers to help her and takes hold of her baby, it turns into a heavy stone, distracting her victims long enough for her to go into attack mode and feed on their blood.
Hone-Onna, Skeleton Spectre
In Japanese folklore, the Hone-Onna is a female skeleton who lures men into her cavern. Sometimes her victims don’t find out of her state until after she’s done when the light shines through her. Once the victims realize what’s going on, the Hone-Onna sucks the life force out of them until they become skeletons themselves.
Tengu
The Tengu are bird-like mountain goblins that play evil tricks on people. They love to lure people away from Buddhism and are believed to be former monks or priests that betrayed the faith and practices and are now cursed to live as beasts forever. These blasphemous little creatures are also believed to kidnap children and tying holy men to trees, and setting temples or any place of worship on fire. To avoid their mischievous wrath, offerings are made and festivals are held in honor of the tengu in hopes of appeasing them.
Aka Manto or Red Cloak
Aka Manto is an evil demon who stalks women’s bathrooms and once someone is trapped in there with him, there’s pretty much no way to win. He’ll ask the woman if she wants a red cloak or blue. If she says red he’ll slash the flesh from her back (making it appear she wears a red cloak). If she says she prefers blue he will strangle her to death. Anyone who tries to pull as fast one by choosing to say another color or refusing to choose will be dragged to hell.
The Akaname
Some cultures scare their kids with the threat of bugs being attracted to their mess, but not the Japanese, oh no, they go big or go home. The bathroom dwelling demon Akaname, which translates to “filth licker” is a creature that would scare anyone into cleanliness. If a bathroom is left dirty, this naked, gangly creature will slink out and feast on the filth with its long slithering tongue. Feces, urine, hair, vomit, grime of all flavors. It eats it all.
Jikininki
In the Zen tradition, they have a creature similar to the western ghoul. The Jikininki lurk in cemeteries, feasting on a buffet of rotting corpses. They believe that those who are selfish in life are reincarnated as these grotesque bottom feeders.
Uji No Hashi-Hime Or Woman At Uji Bridge
In another tale of a woman scorned, Uji no Hashi-Hime prayed to a deity to turn her into an Oni so she could kill her husband, the woman he fell in love with, and all of their relatives. To accomplish this, she bathed in the Uji River for 21 days, divided her hair into five horns, painted her body red with vermilion, and went on a legendary killing spree. Besides her intended victims, anyone who saw her instantly died of fear.
Follow On Social Media
About Author
