Every culture, all around the globe, has its share of strange, mysterious, and sometimes downright spooky creatures that lurk in the shadows. You can probably name a few right off the top of your head.
These creatures — which take the form of animals, people, or eerie combinations of the two — usually have some sort of legend attached to them, and are usually associated with certain places.
The U.S. has its fair share of things that go bump in the night and terrify locals and travelers alike, but today, we're looking at some of the creatures that supposedly haunt another country: Japan.
And like their American counterparts, these beings are pretty creepy, and would shock anyone who came upon them! Some of them have their origins rooted deep in history, while others are more modern.
But whenever they appeared, these strange beings have been spooking people all over Japan, and reports of their existence have been passed down in fairy tales and urban legends.
For the skeptics among us, you'll probably be able to come up with all the reasons why these creatures couldn't possibly exist. But when you're walking home in the dark after learning about them, you just might get a little chill!
What do you think of these folklore figures? Let us know in the comments below!
1. Kappa
Also known as a “water monkey,” these reptilian, goblinish creatures are said to haunt springs and ponds. They can come in green, yellow, or blue, and are identified by the dents in their heads that hold water from their home pond. If the water spills out of the depression, the Kappa will lose its powers.
Their behavior ranges from innocent but mischievous pranks to violent crimes. They’re hard to escape, but they are polite (even when drowning people), and so if you bow deeply, the Kappa will be compelled to do the same, thus spilling out its head-water and becoming powerless.
2. Kasa-obake
These bizarre creatures are what happens when inanimate objects gain sentience, which is believed to happen after 100 years. The creatures are collectively known as tsukumogami.
Specifically, Kasa-obake are umbrellas that sprout one eye, one leg, and occasionally arms and start hopping around.
They’re a relatively modern, so not a lot of folklore exists about their activities, but they’re associated with haunted houses.
3. Nuppeppo
This goblin is essentially just a blob of flesh, but you might be able to make out a face in its folds. Sometimes it has fingers and toes, just to make things worse.
While its blob status makes it pretty harmless and passive, it is known for its strong smell of rotting flesh, which makes it even grosser. Fittingly, they're usually found around cemeteries.
However, if you can withstand the terrible smell, legend says eating a Nuppeppo will grant eternal youth. But that seems kind of mean.
4. Makura-gaeshi
This very specific creature takes pleasure in one thing: moving people's pillows while they sleep.
Some have been accused of sprinkling sand in people's eyes and even stealing souls, but this seems like slander.
These small, goblinish creatures just seem to really, really like moving pillows — but just to the foot of the bed. They’re not that rude.
5. Mokumokuren
It’s not clear if this is one creature or a collection of many, but the Mokumokuren appears as a collection of eyes peering out from tears in paper walls, or holes in any form of wall. They glare at unfortunate passersby and give them the willies.
How do you get rid of them? By patching up the holes in the wall, of course. If that’s not some motivation to get busy with home repairs, we don’t know what is.
6. Akaname
This icky creature's name literally translates to “filth licker,” and that makes sense, since it likes to clean out dirty bathrooms by licking all their surfaces with its long tongue.
Free house cleaning sounds like a perk, you say? Well, consider that its saliva is said to be poisonous, and that’s the last thing you want coating your toilet.
Psychologists think that this creature is a personification of our fear of being vulnerable, especially in dirty, cramped, or dark places.
7. Ittan-momen
This creature is literally just a long strip of white cloth that flies around at night.
It’s generally harmless, but like other animals, it can become dangerous if it becomes frightened — or if it’s just having a bad day and is in a bad mood. Then watch out. The Ittan-momen attacks by wrapping itself around its victim’s head and smothering them.
8. Konaki-jiji
This creepy spirit shows us the danger of being too trusting. Dwelling in the forests and along roadsides, it assumes the form of an infant and cries when a traveler approaches.
The kindhearted traveler will stop to comfort the baby, but when picked up, the Konaki-jiji immediately transforms into a huge stone that crushes the victim. Some people believe it’s the malevolent ghost of a baby who was left to die in the wilderness.
9. Kitsune
Kitsune means “fox” in Japanese, and in traditional folklore, all foxes have the ability to shape-shift into humans.
There are many legends regarding their relationships with humans. Sometimes they’re tricksters, but they’re also known to be faithful lovers and guardians.
They can also possess up to nine tails, and it’s believed that the more tales a kitsune has, the older, wiser, and more powerful.
10. Kuchisake-onna
This terrifying urban legend tells of a woman viciously murdered by her husband who has returned as a malevolent spirit. She appears as a woman wearing a surgical mask, and her tales first started appearing in the 1970s.
She approaches a victim and asks if they think she’s pretty. If they say yes, she pulls off her mask to reveal a mouth slit open from ear to ear, and asks again. If you say no, you’re doomed to either be stabbed, and if you say yes, to have your face mutilated similarly.
The only way to get away? Tell her she’s average-looking.
Now that you know about these monsters, you might start looking over your shoulder on that long, dark stretch of road on your way home, making sure your bathroom is even cleaner, or clutching your pillow a little tighter lest a goblin tries to steal it!
And feeling spooked is no fun unless it's with friends, so be sure to SHARE these legends!
