Tanuki, also known as Japanese raccoon dogs, are a type of wild canid native to Japan. Despite their name, they are not related to raccoons but are more closely related to wolves, foxes, and domestic dogs. Tanuki have long been a significant part of Japanese folklore and culture, with many stories and legends featuring these …
Mythical Creature Type
Umibōzu is a legendary sea-spirit creature from Japanese folklore. It is known for its giant humanoid black figure and its ability to appear to sailors on calm seas, which quickly turn tumultuous. According to the myth, it either breaks the ship on emergence or demands a barrel with no bottom, which is impossible to produce. …
Tsurube-otoshi is a yōkai, a supernatural creature from Japanese folklore, known for its terrifying appearance and behavior. According to legends, Tsurube-otoshi drops from the trees and attacks humans, devouring them. They are found in various regions of Japan, including Kyoto Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture, and Wakayama Prefecture. Tsurube-otoshi is often depicted as …
Ushi-oni is a demon from the Japanese folklore of western Japan. The demon is known for its bovine-headed appearance and brutal, savage personality. According to the folklore, there are various kinds of ushi-oni, but the depiction of a bovine-headed monster is the most common. Ushi-oni generally appear on beaches and attack people who walk there. …
Uwan is a fascinating entity from Japanese folklore that is known for its distinctive sounds and anthropomorphic form. Often found in abandoned buildings and temples, this yokai surprises solitary individuals by emerging from the shadows and unleashing its characteristic cry, “Uwan.” Depicted as a teeth-blackened yokai with grotesque features who waves both hands and appears …
Wanyūdō is a well-known yōkai in Japanese folklore. It is depicted as a fiery wheel with a face and a monk’s robe, or alternatively as a monk’s head attached to a burning wheel. The earliest reports of Wanyūdō date back to the Heian period, and it has been a popular subject in Japanese art and …
Yama-uba is a yōkai found in Japanese folklore. The word can also be written as 山母, 山姫, or 山女郎. Yama-uba is often portrayed as an old woman who lives in the mountains and forests of Japan. In some legends, she is depicted as a witch who can change her appearance to better capture lost travelers. …
Yamata no Orochi is a legendary creature in Japanese mythology that has captured the imagination of many. This colossal serpent is said to have eight heads and eight tails and symbolizes chaos and destruction. According to legend, Yamata no Orochi is the nemesis of the hero Susanoo, who battles and defeats it to restore order …
Patasola is a legendary creature that is part of South American folklore and is known for its haunting and terrifying stories. This creature is believed to be a female monster that roams the forests and mountains of South America, appearing to male hunters and loggers in the middle of the wilderness when they think about …
Abaddon is a term that appears in the Bible, and it is often associated with destruction and doom. In the Hebrew Bible, Abaddon is used to refer to a place of destruction, while in the Book of Revelation, it is used to describe an angel of the abyss. The Greek equivalent of Abaddon is Apollyon, …