Results for "yōkai"
40 entries found.
🇯🇵 JapanYōkai妖怪
A vast class of supernatural spirits and entities in Japanese folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 JapanIttan-momen一反木綿
A flying cloth yōkai from Japanese folklore that warns children to stay indoors at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanGazu Hyakki Yagyō画図百鬼夜行
A 1776 Japanese woodblock book of yōkai illustrations by Toriyama SekienText · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇯🇵 JapanNoppera-bōのっぺらぼう
A faceless spirit from Japanese folklore that mimics human appearanceBeing · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇯🇵 JapanJorōgumo絡新婦 (kanji), じょろうぐも (hiragana)
A shapeshifting spider yōkai of Japanese folklore that lures victims with human guise.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanOni鬼（おに）
A horned demon of Japanese folklore known for strength and evil deedsBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanKappa河童
A river-dwelling yōkai known for its head dish and love of cucumbersBeing · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanHyakki Yagyō百鬼夜行
A Japanese folklore concept of a night parade of supernatural creaturesBelief · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanKitsuneきつね
A Japanese fox spirit known for shapeshifting and trickeryBeing · Cursing and harm · Protection Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanTsukumogami付喪神
Household objects that gain a spirit after reaching their hundredth year in Japanese folklore.Being · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreRokurokubiろくろ首
A Japanese spirit with a stretching neck or a flying headBeing · Cursing and harm · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanTengu天狗
Japanese mountain spirits that evolved from ominous birds into protective forest guardians.Being · Cursing and harm · Protection Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanNurarihyon滑瓢 or ぬらりひょん
A slippery Japanese monster that slips away and haunts homes in folklore and pop culture.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAbura-sumashi油すまし
A mountain spirit from Amakusa folklore said to be a thief turned yōkaiBeing Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanGashadokuroがしゃどくろ
A giant skeleton spirit born from the bones of those who died in war or famine.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanNurikabe塗り壁
A spirit that manifests as an invisible wall to block travelers at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanRaijū雷獣
A Japanese lightning creature that sleeps in navels and falls from stormsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanSatori覚
A mind-reading monkey-like yōkai from the mountains of JapanBeing Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAosaginohi青鷺火
A Japanese will-o'-the-wisp attributed to the glowing flight of herons at nightBelief · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇯🇵 JapanUwanうわん
A Japanese yōkai with an unknown identity and a loud voiceBeing Historical
🇯🇵 JapanTesso鉄鼠
A Japanese yōkai born from a monk’s curse and the destructive power of ratsBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanOsakabehime刑部姫
A yōkai spirit said to inhabit Himeji Castle and reveal its fate.Being · Seeing and foretelling Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanKinoko木の子
A mountain spirit in Japan that looks like a small child and plays tricks on workers.Being Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanSankai産怪
A yōkai born from a woman during childbirth if proper care is neglectedBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanŌnyūdō大僧正
A giant monk spirit in Japanese folklore, ranging from helpful helpers to menacing shadows.Being · Cursing and harm · Healing Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanMakuragaeshi枕返し
A Japanese spirit that flips pillows and turns sleepers upside downBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanTaka-Onna高女
A Japanese yokai of a tall woman said to spy on brothels from above.Being · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇯🇵 JapanAzukibabaaあずきばばあ
A Japanese yōkai that mimics the sound of red beans to lure or frighten peopleBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanHitotsume-nyūdō独眼僧
A one-eyed Japanese monk spirit from folklore and legendBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanTosa Obake Zōshi土佐お化け草紙
An Edo-period illustrated scroll of yōkai tales from Tosa ProvinceText · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇯🇵 JapanYosuzume夜雀
A Japanese mountain spirit that appears as a bird or butterfly and signals the presence of wolves.Being · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical
🇯🇵 JapanKamikiri髪切り
A Japanese yōkai blamed for the sudden disappearance of human hairBeing · Cursing and harm Historical
🇯🇵 JapanAzukihakari小豆はかり
A Japanese yōkai known only for the sound of red beans rattling in a house.Being Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanTōfu-kozō豆腐小僧
A Japanese yōkai depicted as a child carrying a tray of tofu, popular in Edo period literature.Being · Wonder and entertainment Historical
🇯🇵 JapanYamajijii山爺
A one-eyed mountain spirit from Shikoku folklore known for its thunderous voice and unpredictable nature.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 JapanShidaidaka次第高
A tall spirit in Japan that grows when you look up and shrinks when you look down.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanYama-uba山姥
A Japanese mountain spirit depicted as either a cannibalistic monster or a benevolent guardian.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAmabieアマビエ
A prophetic sea creature from Japan that wards off disease with its imageFigure · Protection · Seeing and foretelling Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAyakashi妖
Water spirits and ghost lights in Japanese folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 JapanKyōka Hyaku Monogatari狂歌百物語
An 1853 Japanese picture book pairing yōkai illustrations with humorous kyōka poetryText · Wonder and entertainment Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Gazu Hyakki Yagyō: Toriyama Sekien, Public domain, source
- Aosaginohi: Koikawa Harumachi ja:恋川春町 (1744-1789), Public domain, source
- Tesso: Katsushika Hokusai, Public domain, source
- Shidaidaka: by Reggaeman, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Curse: Katsushika Hokusai, Public domain, source
- Hyakki Yagyō: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Tsukumogami: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Rokurokubi: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Nurarihyon: Brigham Young University, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kitsune: Yoshitoshi, Public domain, source
- Kappa: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Yōkai: Kyosai Kawanabe (河鍋 暁斎), Public domain, source
- Oni: Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (1760-1849), Public domain, source
- Abura-sumashi: Triton, CC BY 3.0, source
- Nurikabe: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Gashadokuro: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Uwan: Sawaki Sūshi (佐脇嵩之, Japanase, *1707, †1772), Public domain, source
- Yama-uba: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Amabie: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Noppera-bō: 芥川龍之介, Public domain, source
- Hitotsume-nyūdō: Kashiwa Seiho (柏正甫), Public domain, source
- Kamikiri: Sawaki Suushi (佐脇嵩之, Japanese, *1707, †1772), Public domain, source