japanese mythology

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10y
By
Mai KO
a drawing of a woman sitting on top of a horse
Jorōgumo is a spider that can change its appearance into that of a seductive woman. The Edo period legend has it that a beautiful woman would entice a man into a quiet shack and begin to play a Biwa, a type of Japanese lute. While the victim would be distracted by the sound of the instrument, she binds her victim in spider silk threads in order to devour the unsuspecting person as her next meal. .
an animal with green and yellow flames on it's back legs, sitting in the air
The raijyu is a legendary creature from Japanese mythology. Its body is composed of lightning and may be in the shape of a cat, fox, weasel, or wolf. The form of a white and blue wolf (or even a wolf wrapped in lightning) is also common. It may also fly about as a ball of lightning (in fact, the creature may be an attempt to explain the phenomenon of lightning). Its cry sounds like thunder.
an old drawing of a woman opening the door to a room with two buckets
retronaut.co -  Resources and Information.
“The Kaibutsu Ehon (“Illustrated Book of Monsters”) features woodblock prints of yōkai, or creatures from Japanese folklore. - Futsukeshibaba (a.k.a. Hikeshibaba) - Mysterious old woman in white who extinguishes lanterns
an image of a man and woman sitting next to a wolf
Bakeneko (化け猫?, “monster-cat”), in Japanese folklore, refers to cat yōkai (spiritual beings) with supernatural abilities akin to those of the kitsune (fox) or tanuki (raccoon dog). There are a number of superstitions that detail how ordinary cat may transform into a bakeneko. Bakeneko then haunt and menace their household.
an animal with long hair and horns on it's back
Kemono Emaki II - Naoki Ichiryu
I didn't know this ~ Kirin are considered the highest beings of the furry animals in Chinese myths. Kirin often appear before good changes happen. They are often described as Eastern unicorns. Despite their fierce appearance, Kirin are known to be gentle creatures that never step on living things.
a drawing of a tree with red leaves on it's branches and the sky in the background
Jubokko- Japanese myth: a vampiric tree that usually grows in the middle of an old battle field to suck the blood from the ground with its roots. If a person passes by it, it could shape its branches into a tube to suck the person dry of blood.
a painting of a cat wearing a kimono and sitting on the ground at night
Gomineko Presents Japanese Mythical Creatures
an old painting of a man on a bridge
Art/Culture
Waraime (a.k.a. Kerakera-onna) -- Giant cackling woman
a drawing of a fish skeleton swimming in the ocean
Bake-kujira (ghost whale) Japanese cryptid: supposedly some sort of swimming skeleton of a whale that has a ghost body. It lives off the coastline of Japan. It is followed by strange birds and fish and it is highly aggressive.
an image of people in the city with flowers on trees and buildings behind them, as well as birds flying overhead
DISCOVERY CHANNEL yokai feature
DISCOVERY CHANNEL yokai feature CLIENT: DISCOVERY CHANNEL MAGAZINE (SINGAPORE) Beware of the Yokai! an 8 page, seven illustration feature of Japanese mythical creatures appreared in Discovery Channel Magazine June/July 2009 issue.
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Related Interests

Japanese Mythology
Japanese Folklore
Mythical Creatures
Japanese Myth
Japanese Art
Mythological Creatures
two vases sitting next to each other on a white surface
Carnegie Museum of Art
Sake Bottle with Shojo (Demon) JAPANESE (JAPANESE) 1396-1568
The Makura-gaeshi ("pillow-mover") is a soul-stealing prankster known for moving pillows around while people sleep. The creature is invisible to adults and can only be seen by children. Anatomical features include an organ for storing souls stolen from children, another for converting the souls to energy and supplying it to the rest of the body, and a pouch containing magical sand that puts people to sleep when it gets in the eyes.
The Makura-gaeshi ("pillow-mover") is a soul-stealing prankster known for moving pillows around while people sleep. The creature is invisible to adults and can only be seen by children. Anatomical features include an organ for storing souls stolen from children, another for converting the souls to energy and supplying it to the rest of the body, and a pouch containing magical sand that puts people to sleep when it gets in the eyes.
a statue is shown with many circles around it
Raijin Japanese Mythology | and in Japanese mythology. His name is derived from the Japanese ...
a blue and orange stuffed animal on a white surface
The baku is a Japanese mythical creature that guards your sleep and will eat your nightmares. Bakus are described as having elephant trunks, tiger legs, and horse-like bodies. Here is a felted version of my personal take on the creature.
two people standing next to a large stone statue
Nurikabe is a yokai that manifests as a wall that impedes or misdirects walking travelers at night. Trying to go around is futile as it extends itself forever. Knocking on the lower part of the wall makes it disappear. It has been suggested that the legend was created to explain travelers losing their bearings on long journeys.