Japan
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Jinshin-Mushi/Earthquake Beetle
The Jinshin-Mushi is a Yokai from Japanese myth. It’s thought to be a giant dragon-headed beetle that causes earthquakes as it moves around underground. It’s thought to be covered in scales and have ten hairy legs ending in spider claws. It’s thought to be the counterpart to the Jinshin-Uwo. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Rose, Carol. Giants Monsters and Dragons: An Encyclopedia Of Folklore Legend And Myth. United Kingdom, WW Norton, 2001. Rosen, Brenda. Mythical Creatures Bible: The Definitive Guide to Legendary Beings. Taiwan, Sterling, 2009.
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Ittan-Momen
The Ittan-Momen is a Yokai from Japan classified as a Tsukumogami. They look harmless, resembling a long strip of cloth, sometimes over 30 feet in length. They fly through the sky at night to search for sleeping victims. They wrap around their victims heads, crushing the skull and smothering the victim. If the trust of the Ittan-Momen is gained however, it enjoys being worn as a turban. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Hone-Onna
The Hone-Onna is an undead Yokai from Japanese myth. The name translates to “bone woman.” They often linger in dark streets, down alleyways, and graveyards. They are believed to be women who die and return from death due to love, rather than anger. They return to their partner in life to continue living a life with them, appearing at night and leaving during the day. They appear as they did in life, though their true form is that of a rotting skeletal woman. The strength of their illusion grows stronger as they continue to further rot. The only ones who could see this form are those unaffected by love and…
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Goryō/gGoryo/Goryo-Shin
The Goryō is a Yokai and a form of ghost from Japanese myth. They are commonly known from the Heian period of 794-857. They’re believed to be the vengeful spirits of people killed as the result of political intrigue, accidents, or unusual circumstances. Some believe anyone could choose to become a Goryo at the moment of their death. It’s thought they bring disease, natural disasters, and wars. They can be identified through necromancy and divination or can be appeased by making them into Goryo-Shin, or Goryo deities. Goryo can be warded off by reciting Buddhist nembutsu, which sends the spirit to the afterlife, or through the use of Inyo magic.…
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Gashadokuro
Gashadokuro are Japanese Yōkai. They are giant skeletons that walk around at night. After hundreds of people die and rot without funeral rites, the many bones gathered in their restless anger to turn into this. They are recognizable by the sound of chattering teeth, but don’t always make noise. They sneak up on people traveling alone at night, catch their victims, crush them in their hands and bite off their heads. They cannot be killed but eventually wear out over time. Citations: Meyer, Matthew. The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons: A Field Guide to Japanese Yōkai. United States, Matthew Meyer, 2015.
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Gangi Kozō
The Gangi Kozō is a yokai from Japanese mythology. They are described as monkey-like creatures covered in hair with hair on their heads in a style called Okappa, which was once common with children. They have webbed hands and thin sharp teeth similar to files. They are thought to be related to the Kappa, and some even believe that Kappa transition into mountains spirits when the seasons change, and the Gangi Kozō is the intermediary between these two forms. They live on riverbanks and eat fish. When fishermen encounter these creatures, they are supposed to leave their largest and cheapest fish as an offering. Citations: Meyer, Matthew. The Book of…
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Enenra/Enen-Ra/Enra-Enra
The Enenra is a Yokai from Japanese myth. They have no physical form and appear in smoke from fires. Their amorphous form may resemble animals or people and fade in and out of sight as the smoke shifts. They are completely harmless but very frightening, and are considered especially disturbing when they emerge from the smoke of someone being cremated. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Buruburu/Zokuzokugami/Okubyohgami
The Buruburu is a Yokai from Japan. They often appear as old men or women, shaking, and with one eye. The name Buruburu is meant to represent the sound of shivering in fear. They attack people by leaving their physical form and attaching their spectral form to a victim’s spine. The feeling of this attack causes the victim’s heart to seize up in horror. Sometimes it possesses without killing, leaving the victim overcome by fear so intense they fear everything. Victims of the fear caused by a Buruburu often commit suicide. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for…
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Black Tortoise/Black Warrior/Xuánwǔ/Genbu/Chih Ming
The Black Tortoise is a creature that was initially a Chinese symbol and was later adapted into Japanese myth. It is one of the Shijin along with the Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, and the Azure Dragon. It is connected to the North, the color black, water, and winter. It was thought to represent cold, harshness, and power, and was also connected to the Funaoka-Yama Mountain. Sometimes it was represented as a traditional Chinese warrior with turtle and snake motifs, and other times it was depicted as a turtle and snake mating, combining into one singular animal. The reason for the snake and turtle being intertwined has been lost to time.…
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Bampu/Kykketsuki/Kyuketsuki
The Bampu is a Japanese mythical creature whose name means “bloodsucker.” Typically, this term is simply used when the European vampire has been absorbed into Japanese culture, most often in filmography. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017. Bush, Laurence C.. Asian Horror Encyclopedia: Asian Horror Culture in Literature, Manga, and Folklore. United States, iUniverse, 2001. Melton, J Gordon. The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead. United Kingdom, Visible Ink Press, 2010.
