Hyakkiyakō (百鬼夜行)
The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, a legendary procession in which countless yokai march through the darkness, evoking both terror and awe.
Rokurokubi (ろくろ首)
A yokai that appears normal by day, but whose neck elongates unnaturally at night. Often depicted as a woman, its stretching neck creates an eerie sight.
Shinigami (死神)
The god or spirit of death who guides souls to the afterlife. In Japan, influenced by Buddhist thought, he represents the cycle of life and fate rather than mere terror.
Kūko (空狐)
A fox yokai that roams the skies with mysterious grace. Like the wind, it appears and disappears, often seen as a harbinger of good omens or warnings.
Tenko (天狐)
A legendary fox spirit from Japan, said to be thousands of years old. Possessing supernatural powers and clairvoyance, it is sometimes revered as the divine nine‑tailed fox.
Ōnyūdō (大入道)
Literally “great priest,” whose appearance varies by region—from a shadowy, indistinct form to a giant—and is often considered a harbinger of misfortune or illness.
Kasha (火車)
A yokai said to steal the corpses of wrongdoers. Manifesting as a fiery chariot, it is born of vengeful spirits and dark deeds.
Aosagibi (青鷺火)
A mysterious blue flame observed on a giant willow, known as “Bakenyanagi.” On rainy nights, this eerie blue flame is reputed to render onlookers unconscious.
Ikiryō (生霊)
The living spirit that detaches from a person’s body and roams freely. It embodies the idea of a soul moving outside its physical form.
Ichimokuren (一目連)
A deity governing weather and winds. In the Edo period, he was revered for preventing maritime disasters and summoning rain.
Ittanmonmen (一反木綿)
A supernatural, cloth-like entity measuring roughly 10 meters long and 30 centimeters wide, said to flutter through the evening air and attack unwary passersby.
Ippon-datara (一本だたら)
A one-eyed, one-legged yokai resembling a caricatured utility pole with eyes and a nose. It is said to perform acrobatic flips in the snow, leaving mysterious footprints without harming humans.
Uwan
A spectral figure that appears near old temples, exclaiming “Uwan!” to startle passersby. If the person mimics the cry, the spirit vanishes.
Ungai-kyō (雲外鏡)
A legendary, mirror-like yokai said to reveal the true nature of demons. It is believed that exposing a creature’s true form will cause it to disappear.
Enenra (煙々羅)
A yokai composed of swirling smoke that takes on various forms. Sometimes, faces appear in its billowing mass, adding to its mysterious aura.
Onibi (鬼火)
A ghostly, pale-blue flame that drifts through the darkness, appearing in graveyards, remote areas, or mountains. It is said to be the fiery manifestation of restless spirits.
Karakasa Kozō (からかさ小僧)
A small, playful yokai depicted as a child with a single umbrella and one leg, known for its mischievous antics.
Gashadokuro (がしゃどくろ)
A gigantic skeletal yokai formed from the bones of unburied corpses, said to wander at night while clattering its bones and devouring those it encounters.
Kitsunebi (狐火)
A mysterious, lantern-like flame with a blue tint that appears where no fire is expected, then mysteriously disappears.
Kuzunoha (葛の葉)
A fox spirit said to be the mother of the famous onmyōji Abe no Seimei, often depicted as a wise and mystical figure.
Kuwazu Nyōbō (食わず女房)
A legend of a bride who claimed never to eat, only to be revealed as a voracious, monstrous creature with a huge mouth hidden in her hair.
Chōchin Kozō (提灯小僧)
A childlike yokai carrying a lantern. He is usually depicted as about 12 to 13 years old, with a bright red face reminiscent of a blazing fire.
Tsukumogami (付喪神)
Objects that, after many years of use, seem to acquire a spirit. It is said that these enchanted items come alive and sometimes play tricks on people.
Tsurubebi (釣瓶火)
A phenomenon where a blue-white fireball—believed to be the spirit of a tree—hangs from a branch along a mountain path, sometimes showing human or animal faces.
Tenka (天火/てんび/てんぴ)
A supernatural flame of enormous size said to fall from the sky like a lantern and cause fires when it strikes a roof. In some legends, it also appears as a loud, flying flame in the summer sky.
Nure Onna (濡女)
A sea-related yokai often depicted as a woman with perpetually wet hair, reputed to attack humans near the coast.
Nojuku-bi (野宿火)
A slender, wandering flame that appears along country roads or mountain paths as if someone had lit a fire, then suddenly vanishes and reappears.
Nodeppō (野鉄砲)
A yokai said to resemble a tanuki, squirrel, or flying squirrel that lurks in northern mountains to attack people and suck their blood.
Kani-bōzu (蟹坊主)
A crab-like yokai associated with temples, said to roam about challenging wandering monks with riddles or questions.
Basabasa (婆娑婆娑)
A bird-like yokai with a bright red crest that spews red flames from its mouth—flames that do not burn, similar to foxfire.
Mystic Culture
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