Japanese mythology

Hello everybody. Today I will introduce some creatures from Japanese mythology. You really need to know that in Japanese mythology, there are thousands of monsters, creatures and symbolical animals. I will focus on 10 of them. 

First, we have Kitsune (きつね). Kitsune in Japanese means fox. Kitsune are basically fox spirits. They are able to turn from a fox into a human. One myth tells a story about a kitsune that fell in love and got married to a man when in human form. The dog of her husband sensed that she really was not a human. The spirit then turned back into fox form and fled.

Next up we have Baku (ばく). It is a spirit that devours dreams and nightmares. Some legends say that baku were created by spare parts that were left behind when the gods created every other animal. One manuscript described this creature as a shy, Chinese version of a Chimera.

Hoho (ほほ) is next. This is the Japanese name for a phoenix. The alternative version is ho-o. There are many versions of this beautiful bird. There are a number of different colours of hoho. Examples include the Korean hoho and the Chinese hoho.

Then we have Tanuki (たぬき). This is the name of a Japanese raccoon dog. It is able to change shapes. It appeared a few times in the Hayao Miyazaki film Pom Poko.

Next are Kappa (カッパ). They are Japanese water spirits. They have many other names and they have a little pool of water on top of their heads. Some legends say that they really love cucumbers.

Now we have Jinmenken (じんめんけん). This is a dog, but not an ordinary dog. Instead, it has a human’s head. The Japanese believe that they have been in their country since the Edo era (1603-1868). Some of them even believe they have seen them, and that leads up to modern day!

After that, we have Nekomata (ねこまた). These are little cat creatures that are written in lots of legends. There are two very different types. One type lives in the mountains. The other are raised as domestic pets and can shape shift. This is often confused with Bakeneko.

Speaking of Bakeneko (ばけねこ), here it is: They are also cat creatures, except they sometimes change into supernatural creatures. Sometimes they develop nasty habits like licking blood and how their fur causes sparks because of static electricity in winter.

Hainu (はいぬ), another yokai (supernatural creature), is a dog, but not as you know it. It has wings, and unlike normal dogs, can fly. There are two stories about the origin of this flying hound, one of them is pretty sad. The first one involves Hainu attacking us humans and farm animals. The second one (the sad one) sees this canine as the beloved pet of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and unfortunately, seeing it dying

Finally, it’s time for Basan (ばさん) to shine! This is a bird that is a bit like a fowl and a rooster. It has origins in a few Japanese books that Takehara Shunsen wrote about. Some Japanese believe it exists in the Iyo Province.

Thank you for reading today’s blog! Join in tomorrow when I write about 10 mythological beauties from Aboriginal mythology!! See you then everybody!!