Explore the legendary Yokai, spirits, and creatures

Abumi-guchi
Tsukumogami

Abumi-guchi (鐙口)

The Abumi-guchi is a small, furry yōkai that is said to be formed from an abumi.

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170

Abura-akago
Yokai

Abura-akago (油赤子)

Abura-akago is described as the ghost or spirit of an infant that appears at night.

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164

Abura-bō
Yokai

Abura-bō (油坊)

It blends elements of ghostly fire and spectral apparitions found in regional legends.

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149

Abura-bō
Yokai

Abura-bō (油坊)

Associated with the remote mountain passes of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu.

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163

Akabeko
Animal Spirit

Akabeko (赤べこ)

Akabeko is more benevolent and symbolic, associated with good luck, resilience, and protection from illness.

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174

Akamataa
Spirit

Akamataa (アカマター)

Akamataa is often paired with another serpent spirit called Kuromataa (the "Black Mataa").

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153

Akaname
Yokai

Akaname (垢嘗)

Akaname (垢嘗) is one of the more bizarre and unsettling yōkai from Japanese folklore.

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155

Akashita
Yokai

Akashita (赤舌)

Known for its dramatic appearances and symbolic role as a punisher of greed and corruption.

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164

Akateko
Yokai

Akateko (赤手児)

A mysterious red hand that dangles from trees, unsettling travelers and guarding sacred paths.

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154

Akki
Oni

Akki (悪鬼)

A fearsome and wicked oni that symbolizes evil, chaos, and karmic punishment in myth and lore.

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149

Akkorokamui
Yokai

Akkorokamui (アッコロカムイ)

A colossal sea monster from Ainu lore, feared and revered as a divine octopus-like guardian of the ocean.

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296

Akuma
Demon

Akuma (悪魔)

An evil spirit or demon, often associated with torment, temptation, and supernatural malevolence in Japanese lore.

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181

Akurojin-no-hi
Yokai

Akurojin-no-hi (悪路神の火)

A ghostly fire from Mie Prefecture that haunts desolate mountain paths and brings misfortune to travelers.

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157

Amamehagi
Oni

Amamehagi (アマメハギ)

A ritual demon from Hokuriku who visits homes during festivals to scare laziness out of adults and children alike.

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200

Amanojaku
Oni

Amanojaku (天邪鬼)

A mischievous demon known for goading people into bad behavior and stirring trouble with cunning lies and tricks.

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187

Amanozako
Kami

Amanozako (天逆毎)

A fearsome and chaotic goddess mentioned in the Kujiki, said to be the ancestor of many rebellious spirits.

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236

Amazake-babaa
Yokai

Amazake-babaa (甘酒婆)

An eerie old woman who whispers for sweet sake and leaves sickness in her wake if you respond.

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136

Amefurikozō
Yokai

Amefurikozō (雨降小僧)

A cheerful little boy spirit who delights in the rain, sometimes causing showers or playful mischief.

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156

Amemasu
Yokai

Amemasu (アメマス)

A powerful fish- or whale-like beast from Ainu folklore, said to cause earthquakes and drag boats beneath lakes.

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167

Ameonna
Yokai

Ameonna (雨女)

A mysterious woman yokai who brings rain wherever she walks—seen as both a gentle blessing and a gloomy curse.

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148

Amikiri
Yokai

Amikiri (網切)

A mischief-making spirit known for slicing through fishing nets and mosquito screens in the night.

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162

Amorōnagu
Yokai

Amorōnagu (アモロナグ)

A celestial maiden from Amami Ōshima whose radiant form bridges heaven and island folklore.

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151

Anmo
Oni

Anmo (アンモ)

A ritual demon from Iwate Prefecture who disciplines misbehaving children and blesses households.

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143

Aoandon
Yokai

Aoandon (青行燈)

The eerie spirit of the blue lantern, said to appear at the end of a hundred ghost stories told by candlelight.

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176

Aobōzu
Yokai

Aobōzu (青坊主)

A mysterious blue-skinned monk who roams the mountains, luring children away from safety and into the shadows.

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152

Aonyōbō
Yokai

Aonyōbō (青女房)

A spectral court lady draped in blue, haunting abandoned noble estates with memories of a lost past.

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177

Aosaginohi
Yokai

Aosaginohi (青鷺の火)

A ghostly blue heron said to shimmer with supernatural fire as it moves through swamps and riverbanks.

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143

Asobibi
Yokai

Asobibi (遊火)

A mysterious flickering flame from Kōchi Prefecture said to drift playfully through the night fields.

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133

Arikura-no-baba
Yokai

Arikura-no-baba (有倉の婆)

A mysterious old woman with magical powers, said to dwell in the mountains and test travelers with wisdom or trickery.

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143

Ashiaraiyashiki
Yokai

Ashiaraiyashiki (足洗邸)

A giant foot crashes into a home demanding to be washed—or unleashes chaos if ignored.

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150

Ashimagari
Yokai

Ashimagari (足曲がり)

A spirit known to trip travelers by entangling their legs—an invisible prankster of forest paths.

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140

Ashinagatenaga
Yokai

Ashinagatenaga (足長手長)

A legendary yokai pair—one with long legs, the other with long arms—who fish cooperatively in deep coastal waters.

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199

Ato-oi-kozō
Yokai

Ato-oi-kozō (後追い小僧)

An invisible spirit said to follow people quietly—especially at night near temples or graveyards.

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172

Ayakashi
Yokai

Ayakashi (綾かし)

A sea spirit often synonymous with the ikuchi — a massive eel-like yokai that coats ships in oily residue.

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152

Ayakashi-no-ayashibi
Yokai

Ayakashi-no-ayashibi (綾かしの怪火)

A ghostly flame seen in Ishikawa Prefecture, often considered a spiritual warning or wandering soul.

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138

Azukiarai
Yokai

Azukiarai (小豆洗い)

A strange spirit known for making eerie bean-washing sounds near rivers and wells late at night.

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156

Azukibabaa
Yokai

Azukibabaa (小豆婆々)

A terrifying bean-grinding hag who lures victims with sound and devours them deep in the forest.

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139

Azukitogi
Yokai

Azukitogi (小豆とぎ)

A regional name for Azukiarai — the mysterious spirit known for grinding beans by streams at night.

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138