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.

Abura-akago
Yokai

Abura-akago (油赤子)

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

Abura-bō
Yokai

Abura-bō (油坊)

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

Abura-bō
Yokai

Abura-bō (油坊)

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

Akabeko
Animal Spirit

Akabeko (赤べこ)

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

Akamataa
Spirit

Akamataa (アカマター)

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

Akaname
Yokai

Akaname (垢嘗)

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

Akashita
Yokai

Akashita (赤舌)

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

Akateko
Yokai

Akateko (赤手児)

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

Akki
Oni

Akki (悪鬼)

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

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.

Akuma
Demon

Akuma (悪魔)

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

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.

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.

Amanojaku
Oni

Amanojaku (天邪鬼)

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

Amanozako
Kami

Amanozako (天逆毎)

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

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.

Amefurikozō
Yokai

Amefurikozō (雨降小僧)

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

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.

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.

Amikiri
Yokai

Amikiri (網切)

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

Amorōnagu
Yokai

Amorōnagu (アモロナグ)

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

Anmo
Oni

Anmo (アンモ)

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

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.

Aobōzu
Yokai

Aobōzu (青坊主)

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

Aonyōbō
Yokai

Aonyōbō (青女房)

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

Aosaginohi
Yokai

Aosaginohi (青鷺の火)

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

Asobibi
Yokai

Asobibi (遊火)

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

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.

Ashiaraiyashiki
Yokai

Ashiaraiyashiki (足洗邸)

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

Ashimagari
Yokai

Ashimagari (足曲がり)

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Azukiarai
Yokai

Azukiarai (小豆洗い)

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

Azukibabaa
Yokai

Azukibabaa (小豆婆々)

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

Azukitogi
Yokai

Azukitogi (小豆とぎ)

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