What Are Japan’s Famous Yokai?

Most often associated with Japanese monsters, Yokai is a broad term that encapsulates any and all supernatural phenomena. Although the term Yokai may sound unfamiliar, you have likely encountered Yokai already in some way, especially if you are a fan of Japanese pop culture. Many of the unique monsters and characters from Nintendo franchises, such as Mario and Pokémon, are inspired by Yokai. The iconic “No-Face” from the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away is also inspired by a Yokai called Nopperabo. These supernatural entities have even made their way to Hollywood; the Yokai Te-no-Me makes an appearance as a frightening demon with eyes in its palms in Guillermo del Toro’s film Pan’s Labyrinth. In Japan, some of the most popular and enduring Yokai include kitsune, kappa, bake-danuki, and tsuchinoko. So, let’s have a closer look at these incredible mythical creatures and what makes them so special to Japanese culture!

Kitsune

Arguably the most iconic Yokai, the kitsune is a shapeshifting fox spirit known for its clever mind and deceptive tricks that range from harmless mischief to pure villainy. Kitsune are incredibly popular among Japanese people and tourists alike, and for some, they are almost symbolic of Japan. They have appeared in popular anime such as Naruto and can be found decorating souvenirs in stores throughout Japan. Many associate kitsune with the ‘nine-tailed fox spirit,’ and although kitsune can have up to nine tails, not all of them do. It is believed that the more tails it has, the more powerful the kitsune becomes.

The most powerful kitsune of them all is the legendary – and villainous – Tamamo-no-Mae. According to legend, she was originally born in China and spent hundreds of years wreaking havoc among the wealthy and powerful there as well as in India. She eventually found her way to Japan and into the Emperor’s court as a courtesan. Shortly after, the Emperor mysteriously fell ill. Desperate to save his life, the court magician, Abe no Yasunari, divined that the beautiful courtesan Tamamo-no-Mae was actually an evil kitsune in disguise! True identity revealed, Tamamo-no-Mae suddenly vanished from the palace before she could be captured. The Emperor sent his best warriors, Kazusa-no-suke and Miura-no-suke, to hunt her down. They chased her across the country, eventually killing her. As she died, Tamamo-no-Mae’s body transformed into a stone, and purportedly, anyone who touches the stone will die.

It may surprise you, but the Killing Stone (Sessho-seki), as it came to be known, is very real. Located just north of Tokyo in Nikko National Park, the legendary stone sits innocuously at the foot of the active volcano Mount Chausu. Every year, on the last Sunday in May, a mysterious nighttime ritual is conducted, in which fox-masked participants beat taiko drums around a bonfire in an attempt to appease the kitsune’s dark spirit. However, in 2022, the Killing Stone suddenly split in two, an occurrence that many can’t help but fear is a bad omen for things to come.

Sesshoseki/the Killing Stone

Address: 182 Yumoto, Nasu, Nasu District, Tochigi 325-0301, Japan
Open Hours: 24/7
Phone Number: +81287726918
Website: https://www.town.nasu.lg.jp/0224/info-0000000398-1.html

Kappa

Another of Japan’s most beloved Yokai is the kappa. Easily recognizable, kappa are depicted as green humanoids with webbed feet and turtle shells. Like kitsune, they love mischief, but unlike kitsune, they usually aren’t malevolent (although they have been known to drown a person or two). These river-dwelling imps are famous for their love of two things: cucumbers and sumo-wrestling. Although the kappa might not be as well-known outside of Japan as the kitsune, Nintendo fans might recognize the inspiration behind the Koopa in the Mario franchise, as well as the sea-shanty-slinging Kapp’n from Animal Crossing.

If you would like to go kappa-spotting, there’s no need to get wet; head to Kappabashi Kitchen Street. Just a short distance from the popular sightseeing spot Sensoji, Kappabashi (lit. Kappa Bridge) is a long shopping street whose shops specialize in kitchenware. It’s an excellent place to pick up anything from handmade cooking knives to industrial kitchen appliances, and many visitors flock to Kappabashi just to buy shokuhin sampuru as souvenirs. But what does that have to do with Kappa? In the 1800s, this whole area was prone to disastrous flooding from the nearby Sumida River during storms. Local umbrella and raincoat merchant Kihachi set out to fix the problem by building a drainage canal. According to legend, the Sumida River Kappa aided in the construction, and anyone who saw them was blessed with good fortune in business. Kihachi was nicknamed Kappa Kawataro, and a golden statue of him stands along Kappabashi Street in memory.

Just like Hidden Mickeys at Disney World, there are little Kappa statues and imagery all over Kappabashi Street for eagle-eyed tourists. For those who are really interested in Kappa, head north from Kappabashi to Sogenji Temple. After his death, Kappa Kawataro was laid to rest at Sogenji, and the Temple was henceforth known as Kappa-dera. Here, offerings of cucumbers and sake are placed in front of kappa statues, and – most remarkably – enshrined behind glass is what the temple claims to be the mummified hand of a real Kappa!

Kappabashi Kitchen Street

Address: 3 Chome-18-2 Matsugaya, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0036, Japan
Open Hours: 9 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday. Closed Saturdays and Sundays.
Phone Number: +81338441225
Website: http://www.kappabashi.or.jp/

Sogenji Temple

Address: 3 Chome-7-2 Matsugaya, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0036, Japan
Phone Number: +81338412035
Website: http://www.sogenji.jp/

Bake-Danuki

Another Yokai inspired by a real-life creature is the bake-danuki. The bake-danuki takes after the tanuki, an animal native to Japan that is something of a cross between a raccoon and a dog. Similar to the kitsune and kappa, bake-danuki love using shapeshifting to get up to mischief. Bake-danuki mischief is usually harmless fun. They often appear in children’s stories as troublemakers who learn important morals. For those familiar with the legendary Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli, you may recognize bake-danuki from their 1994 film Pom Poko, in which a group of bake-danuki use their shape-shifting skills to save their home from deforestation. 

The Japanese folktale Bunbuku’s Teakettle is a classic example of bake-danuki hijinks. In many versions of this story, a bake-danuki shape shifts into a teakettle and hides in a temple. When the temple priests went to make tea and placed the kettle over the fire, the teakettle shouted “hot!” and promptly turned back into bake-danuki form. The priests chased the creature all around the temple until it shifted back into a kettle. Eager to be rid of the troublesome thing, they sold the kettle to a passing rag-peddler. The peddler was shocked to discover that his newest purchase was, in fact, a shapeshifting raccoon dog. Instead of beating or chasing him, the peddler made a deal with the bake-danuki. In exchange for food and a place to stay, the bake-danuki would perform his shapeshifting tricks for an audience. As a result, the peddler became a wealthy man, eventually donating some of that wealth to the temple he originally bought the teakettle from.

Like Tamamo-no-mae’s Killing Stone, the temple in Bunbuku’s Teakettle is a real place. Located in Gunma Prefecture, Morinji Temple is easy to spot by its dozens of tanuki statues leading up to the main temple building. Along the way, there are a number of plaques that also tell the story of Bunbuku’s Teakettle for visitors who may be unfamiliar with the tale. You don’t need to travel to Gunma to spot a bake-danuki, however. You can find them almost anywhere. Bake-danuki are associated with luck and good fortune (as evidenced by the folktale) in Japan, so many Japanese restaurants and stores have bake-danuki statues outside their doors to welcome visitors.

Morinji Temple

Address: 1570 Horikucho, Tatebayashi, Gunma 374-0033, Japan
Phone Number: +81276721514
Website: https://morinji.com/

Tsuchinoko

Although not quite as well-known as kitsune, kappa, or bake-danuki, tsuchinoko are beloved by many in Japan. Tsuchinoko means “hammer child,” a name which is in reference to the creature’s peculiar shape. Tsuchinoko are short, fat snakes shaped like the head of a hammer. Despite their shape, Tsuchinoko are known to be very agile and get around by rolling everywhere. Like many Yokai, tsuchinoko are supposedly big fans of sake. For fans of Pokémon, you might recognize tsuchinoko as the inspiration behind Dunsparce, whose Japanese name, Nokocchi, is an anagram of Tsuchinoko.

Tsuchinoko are not associated with specific fairytales or myths like many Yokai; instead, they are viewed most like a cryptid. Something akin to a Japanese Bigfoot, many would swear that tsuchinoko are real, and some even claim to have seen one. Tsuchinoko sightings became a hot topic in the 70s, with people all over Japan going on tsuchinoko hunts, photographs of what were claimed to be tsuchinoko surfaced, and even TV specials on the creature became common.

If you would like to find a tsuchinoko yourself, you’re in luck. For the past three decades, the village of Higashi-Shirakawa in Gifu Prefecture has been hosting an annual Tsuchinoko Festival, where hundreds of participants from all over Japan descend on the village in search of the legendary chubby reptile. If the love of the game isn’t enough of a draw for you, the village is enticing participants with a reward of over one million yen for whoever is the first to find and capture a genuine tsuchinoko!

Higashi-Shirakawa

Address: Kamo District, Gifu

Mizuki Shigeru Road

If you are interested in spotting even more Yokai, take a trip to the town of Sakaiminato in Tottori Prefecture. Sakaiminato is the hometown of manga artist and Yokai expert Mizuki Shigeru. Mizuki is credited with reviving public interest in Yokai through his popular manga GeGeGe Kitaro, which focuses on Yokai and the supernatural. To pay homage to their hometown hero, Sakaiminato has an entire street dedicated to Mizuki and his creations, fittingly called Mizuki Shigeru Road. The street is lined with over 100 bronze statues of Mizuki’s Yokai characters. Along the way, stop at the Yokai Shrine, where you can get a unique Yokai-themed lucky charm. There are also plenty of fun souvenirs and treats to try at the shop GeGeGe no Yokai Rakuen. 

At the end of the road lies a museum dedicated to the artist, where fans can see original works and displays of Yokai. Don’t forget to check out the street at night, when the length of the street is illuminated with shadowy, spooky Yokai lights.

Mizuki Shigeru Road

Address: Taishomachi, Sakaiminato, Tottori 684-0004, Japan
Open Hours: 24/7
Phone Number: +81859470121
Website: http://mizuki.sakaiminato.net/road/

Yokai Shrine

Address: 62-1 Taishomachi, Sakaiminato, Tottori 684-0004, Japan
Open Hours: 24/7
Phone Number: +81859470520
Website: http://yo-kai.net/

Mizuki Shigeru Museum

Address: 5 Honmachi, Sakaiminato, Tottori 684-0025, Japan
Open Hours: 9:30 am – 5 pm, 7 days a week
Phone Number: +81859422171
Website: http://mizuki.sakaiminato.net/

Night Parade of 100 Demons

If seeing a Yokai in our world isn’t enough for you, how about entering theirs? This autumn, Yokai from across the nation will gather to haunt the city of Kyoto in a ghastly Night Parade of 100 Demons. Put on your spookiest costume and join the procession during 2025’s Mysterious Yokai Festival. A relatively new festival, held for the first time in 2024, the Mysterious Yokai Festival is a two-month-long event held at Kyoto Studio Park. Featuring activities for all ages, including a flea market focused on Yokai artists from around the country. This year’s event will take place from September 13th to November 30th.

Event Website: https://www.toei-eigamura.com/yokai/

Toei Kyoto Studio Park

Address: 10 Uzumasa Higashihachiokacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8586, Japan
Open Hours: 9 am – 5 pm, Monday – Friday. 9 am – 9 pm, Saturday – Sunday
Phone Number: +81758647716
Website: https://www.toei-eigamura.com/

The Enduring Appeal of Yokai

The most important thing to know about Yokai is that, like all folklore and myth, they represent the people who made them. Their enduring appeal lies in the appeal of Japan as a nation. Japan is small, but its people are as diverse and colorful as the Yokai they have created. The vast plethora of Yokai acts almost as a history book or encyclopedia, giving us deeper insight into Japanese society and its history. So, next time you visit this amazing country, don’t hesitate to dive into its incredible culture and history. And when you’re done, why don’t you tell us which one is your favourite Yokai!

Featured Photo Credit: SHI_T.H

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