Fantastic Beasts

It is a famous Chinese sacred animal, but it is also found quite a lot in ancient books and stories of ancient Japan. The kirin is one of the rarest, most awesome and powerful creatures ever known in East Asia. It is a regal animal, holy and highly revered. The kirin is often considered a god in its own right. Resembling a deer with scales like a dragon’s covering its body, the kirin is a chimerical beast. It has a tail like an ox and a flowing mane. Its body and mane are covered in brilliant, holy fire and its face is the picture of utter serenity. It is also sometimes depicted with one horn, so some people associate it with the unicorn of the West, though it is more commonly depicted with two horns. It is also sometimes depicted with one horn, so some people associate it with the unicorn of the West, though it is more commonly depicted with two horns. A gentle animal, the kirin never eats the flesh of other beings, and takes great care never to tread on any living thing, even insects

Ippon-Datara is a yōkai from Japanese folklore. Ippondatara has one thick, trunk-like leg and a single saucer-like eye. It lives deep in the mountains of Japan. It is especially well-known in the mountains bordering Wakayama and Nara Prefectures (old Kii and Yamato Provinces), though sightings have been reported in other neighboring prefectures as well. Ippondatara is a shy yōkai, and tends to stay away from inhabited areas. It moves about by hopping around and doing somersaults. It avoids humans, though on winter days it is not uncommon to find the unique prints of this yōkai’s large, single foot in the snow. While it is mostly harmless, once per year on December 20th, the ippondatara turns violent. Those entering the mountains on that day who run into the ippondatara are squashed flat under its powerful foot. Because of this, December 20th is considered an unlucky day in the areas where this yōkai lives. People stay out of the mountains then. The name ippondatara comes from tatara, t

In Japanese folklore, Hitodama ("human souls") are floating fireballs that glow amber, pale blue, or ruddy in the moonlight. There are even a few that can be seen during the day.They also have a tail, but it can be short or long. They hover at not very high altitudes.  They are said to be "the souls of the dead that have separated from their bodies," which is where their name comes from. They are often confused with onibi and kitsunebi, but since hitodama are considered "appearances of souls leaving the body and flying through the air", a different kind must be mentioned here. In terms of their shape and nature, there are features common throughout Japan, but there are also some regional differences.  In Okinawa Prefecture, hitodama are known as tamagai, and in the Nakjin region they are said to appear before a child is born, in some other regions they are said to be mysterious flames that cause people to die. In Kawakani, Inba Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture

The fearsome yōkai known usually appears at night on the roads of the island of Shikoku. In the dark, they are indistinguishable from ordinary young women, unusual only for their loose, disheveled hair but the tip of each hair is fitted with a needle-like, barbed hook - although if you are close enough to notice these hooks, it is probably already too late. Hari-Onago usually wander the streets searching for victims - usually young, single men walking alone. When a Hari-Onago comes across a suitable man, she smiles coyly at him. If the smile is returned, she attacks: she releases her hair, and the barbed ends lash out with blinding speed and a will of their own, sinking deep into her victim’s flesh. A Hari-Onago’s strength is so great that even the strongest man can be overpowered by her hooks. Once her victim is ensnared and rendered helpless, she rips him into pieces with her hooks and devours the remains. If it is enough fast, he can escape a Hari-Onago. If he can get himself safely

Bakekujira is described as a giant whale skeleton that appeared off the coast of Shimane, accompanied by a variety of strange fish and birds. A fisherman tried to fire his javelin at it but was unharmed, then the whale disappeared with its mystery. And the legends about it are stories passed down by the fishermen, In the middle of that night, the fishermen of Okino Island suddenly saw a translucent white mass floating in the sea and roaring fiercely. By experience, they thought it was a stranded whale, and a team of muscular fishermen sailed close to find a way to hunt for this "gift of heaven". But strangely enough, arrows, javelins or any other sharp weapon all disappeared into nothingness. Then, they realized a fact: the whale they were hunting was just a white skeleton, without skin and larger than any whale they had ever seen. It moved again like when it was alive, making everyone startle in horror. At that moment, they realized that the surrounding sea was covered with

According to Japanese folklore, a cat that has lived long enough can become a type of yokai called a nekomata. Nekomata is said to have been transformed by old domestic cats (40 or 100 years old or more) and there is also a view that after a cat reaches ten years of age, its tail will gradually split into two tails, and later on. It will have more magic power. In many cultures around the world, cats tend to be seen as a metaphor for women, and in Japan people also liken Nekomata to the evil of a woman. Nekomata understands and speaks human language, after eating human flesh, it will transform into that person. In the book Nansō Satomi Hakkenden (published in 1814) by author Kyokutei Bakin also recorded this detail. The female nekomata sometimes appear in men's dreams and take all of their life energy. The Japanese also believe that people who often abuse cats will be harmed by it. If the Nekomata cultivates further, it will live indefinitely and be called Nekoshō . Nekomata will of

According to legend, Kamaitachi are the most terrible yokai in Japan. They usually live in a cold mountainous area. They are 3 ferrets with sharp claws and always go together. Sometimes, they are depicted as triplets, but there is also a legend that they are a family consisting of: father, mother and child. Kamaitachi became the terror of the people when often cutting people's feet. The trio of Kamaitachi are described as having the ability to move at lightning speed, ride on winds, and move so fast that the human eye cannot see them coming and going. They cut the victim's leg without them even knowing it. When the victim is detected, each Kamaitachi will be assigned a separate task. Specifically, the first weasel is responsible for falling victim. The first one is responsible for pushing down the victim, the second one with extremely sharp claws (or carries a sickle) is responsible for causing cuts on the victim's legs. The other one is responsible for applying medicine to