The Yokai: 12 Amazing Supernatural Creatures from Japanese Mythology - See U in History

The legends of ancient Japan speak of supernatural creatures who live in the spirit world and also in the material world. Legends say that the ancestral gods helped shape the world, enabling the emergence of the most varied forms of life. Japanese folktales are preserved in one of the oldest books on the history of Japan. Kojiki is the oldest book on the subject. With songs and poetry, it tells how the gods created the world. The yokai appeared in the world at the beginning of its creation. When the god Izanagi stripped his mantle to dive into the sea, several yokai of different sizes sprang from the body of the powerful god. The yokai lived in all kinds of environments, from high, desolate mountains to forests and deep lagoons. The yokai's behavior varied as much as human behavior did. Two yokai of the same species could have completely different personalities. However, human beings consider many yokai to be malicious and even evil creatures. For the yokai, the rules of laws of human society had no value. Yokai often hurt people or destroy objects, even if their intention was only to frighten or set some sort of playful booby trap. The yokai were not limited to physical form. They could also assume the form of spirits or ghosts. The more powerful yokai could also pass from the physical state to the spiritual state according to their will. The kitsune used this power to act as messengers of Inari, the goddess of fertility. There are so many kinds of yokai that there is no exact number in Japanese mythology. Among the most famous are the kamaitachi, whose name can be translated as wind weasels. As the name implies, the kamaitachi is shaped like a skunk. But instead of traditional claws and teeth, they have sharp blades like scythes. The kamaitachi are aggressive yokai. They often attacked human beings while taking the form of wind swirls. There were also the bakeneko, the monster cats, who were born as normal cats. But depending on their life experiences, they could take on a demonic form. A bakeneko could appear when a cat reached a very advanced age or if the animal was imprisoned in a house for many years. When they turned into bakeneko, cats developed a second tail. Some got bigger than an adult person. Most of the bakeneko was resentful, who did not hesitate to attack or haunt human beings. But there are stories about cats that age just because they were well cared for by their owners. And in those cases, even if they turn into bakeneko, the yokai were grateful to the humans who looked after them. The bakeneko ended up bringing good luck and protection to their homes. One of the yokai most feared in ancient Japan was the kappa. They lived in the rivers and lagoons. They attracted attention for their strange amphibian appearance which mixed a humanoid body with scaly skin and a turtle shell. Another unique feature of the kappa was the small hole in the top of their heads. That hole should always be filled with water. By doing that, the kappa kept its superhuman strength even out of water. The kappa were a great threat as they hid among the plants on riverbanks and attacked people who came very close to their territory. They also pulled the legs of distracted swimmers or capsized fishermen's boats, ingesting the crew. But there was a way to fool a kappa by weakening it on dry land. To do so, the person attacked would have to greet the kappa, bowing repeatedly. The kappa would eventually return the greeting, repeating the gesture, causing the water on top of its head to fall. Then, he would be too weak and unable to attack anyone. The ghostly yokai were the scariest. They could appear anywhere and could only be fought with exorcisms made by Buddhist or Shinto monks. The inugami are part of the spiritual yokai. They appear in the world through a cruel ritual which takes the life out of a domestic dog while chants of suffering are sung. After its death, the dog becomes a powerful spiritual being who will protect the house and the family that invoked him. But if the inugami revolts against the people who created him, he may possess some family members causing that person to behave animalistically and attack all those who stand in his way. The shinigami are the spirits of death. They have no distinct form and are responsible for guiding human souls to the world of the dead. Shinigami can even induce humans to commit suicide. Shinigami appear in the world when a person loses his life in agony and suffering. That person then returns to the form of a dark spirit. Another kind of yokai is the oni. The oni are worldly creatures similar to the trolls and ogres of European mythology. They live in hell and are responsible for torturing the souls of the damned. But they always look for a way to escape into the world of the living looking for fresh meat. Oni are large beastly creatures that usually attack people in forests and caves. The oni use big wooden claws. They dress in animal skins. Their smell is strong and they are always furious. It takes a brave hero to face them. Yokai could even be found at sea. The umibozu are huge yokai shaped like a terrifying shadow with massive eyes. They attack fishing boats and sink commercial ships dragging everything to the depths of the sea. Legend has it the umibozu don't usually attack without warning. They always ask the crew members if they fear them. If they answer yes or if they hesitate the yokai will destroy the boat. But if the sailors don't fear the creature umibozu will lose a good part of its power retreating to the sea. When the cold winter emerged one of the cruelest yokai would appear through the snow. Yuki-onna translated as snow woman is a yokai that appears in places with low temperature in the shape of a beautiful woman. According to legend Yuki-onna is a young woman who died frozen in a blizzard. Because of the intense pain and suffering she felt she returned as a vengeful spirit. Yuki-onna had an apparently serene behavior sliding calmly through the snow. But that was only to attract the eyes of men. After that she would start singing luring the victim to her. Then she revealed her true face with cruel and bright eyes using her long claws to tear victims apart. On some occasions she was content just to lure men into a blizzard. Then she would quietly watch while they freeze to death. Yokai can also take the form of common objects in human life. Karakase-obake is a yokai that appears in an umbrella that reaches the age of 99. The umbrella then gains an eye, a mouth with a large tongue, and a leg that allows it to move around. Some even develop arms. Usually karakase-obake are harmless yokai who tend to appear suddenly to frighten people and then run away while having a good laugh. Some yokai stood out for their great powers or their proximity to the gods. That was the case with Kirin. Kirin is a sacred yokai in Japanese mythology. He serves as a messenger of the gods and only appears in the material world every 500 years. The shape of the Kirin has variations, but his appearance is almost always like that of a horse with scales and horns. Some even have a dragon-like head. Even as a yokai, Kirin is a kind of docile creature. He rarely allows himself to be observed by human beings. Nureona is another yokai who doesn't like to be seen. Nureona is represented by a snake, but with a female head with long dark hair. In other versions, she is a woman from the waist up and a snake from the waist down. She usually appears on the shores of beaches or rivers where she seems to wash her hair. If she is disturbed during this process, she reacts in a violent and cruel way. Legend has it that Nureona enters the water, leaving only its human part visible. Then, she pretends to drown to attract a man's attention. If the man dives into the water to try to save her, she realizes she's a terrifying yokai. But it will be too late. Not all yokai were free and disorderly creatures. The komainu were an exception. The komainu are the famous lion dogs commonly found at the entrance of Shinto temples. Komainu are ferocious and noble beasts. They act as watchdogs, preventing the entrance of evil spirits into temples or houses. They are represented in statues made of stone or wood. They always walk in pairs composed of a male and a female. The male is always with his mouth open, showing his sharp teeth. His role is to protect the exterior of the building. The female is always with her mouth closed. Her duty is to protect the interior of the places where she was built. Legend has it that if the komainu detects the presence of a ghost or an evil yokai, he will free himself from his statue form and fiercely defend his territory. The yokai were very important in ancient Japan. Their presence and symbolism remain very strong in some regions of modern Japan. With the popularization of manga and anime, the yokai became known to the western public, and they went from ancient mythological beings to well-known figures in popular culture.