Top 10 Coolest Creatures from Japanese Mythology

Top 10 Coolest Creatures From Japanese Mythology

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Coolest Creatures From Japanese Mythology.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the most intriguing entities from Japanese folk tales and legends.

Which of these creatures grabbed your attention? Let us know in the comments!

#10: Yatagarasu

Black birds seem to pop up quite often in mythology. In Norse mythology, Odin has his ravens, Huginn and Muninn (HEU-gin & MEU-nin). Other traditions feature deities that transform into winged beasts. Yatagarasu is a three-legged crow who is said to be a guiding god and the messenger of Amaterasu (ahmma-tay-RAH-soo), the Shinto deity of the sun. According to ancient lore, Yatagarasu helped Emperor Jimmu (JEE-meu/moo), the first emperor of Japan, during his travels and his battle against Nagasunehiko (nahgga-soo-NAY-HEE-koh / naga-soo-NAYHEE-coh). There are several theories on what Yatagarasu’s three legs represent. One of the most popular is that they showcase heaven, earth, and humankind.

#9: Futakuchi-onna

Imagine sitting down in a quiet restaurant in Japan. Nearby is a woman dining alone, who thinks that no one is watching. As you tuck into your dish, you witness the mysterious woman’s hair reach out and grab some food. It then drags the meal towards the back of her head, where a second mouth chomps down. If this happens, then you’ve seen a Futakuchi-onna. These yōkai (supernatural entities) are often the wives of misers who refuse to feed them. Their second mouth emerges to demand food and terrorize the poor women. For you Pokémon fans, this creature inspired Mawile’s (maw-while) design.

#8: Tsukumogami

If one of your possessions turned 100 years old, you probably wouldn’t notice anything different. But in Japanese mythology, it’s a bit more obvious. The object can turn into a Tsukumogami, which means it’s possessed by a spirit or kami (KAH-mee) - divine beings from Shintoism. Usually, they’re harmless and even loyal to the family. But sometimes, they can become evil monsters that seek revenge against their former owners for abandoning them. There’s a lot of different kinds of Tsukumogami. An umbrella becomes a Kasa-obake (KAWSSA oh-baw-keh); a biwa (BEE-wah) (or lute) is a Biwa-bokuboku (BEE-wah beaucoup beaucoup); and zōri (ZOH-ree) (straw sandals) turn into Bakezōri (bah-kay-ZOH-ree). To be on the safe side, it’s probably best to destroy the object on its 99th birthday.

#7: Nuppeppō

Looking like a blobfish that was dragged out of the sea’s depths, the Nuppeppō is an amazing yet unsettlingly lumpy sight. It has no eyes or nose, but its folds somehow resemble a human face. They even have little hands and feet. Their main offense is giving off a terrible smell that’s said to resemble rotting meat. Unsurprisingly, given their aroma, they typically hang out at night in graveyards and old abandoned temples. Fortunately, the Nuppeppō aren’t really dangerous. In fact, if a human manages to catch a Nuppeppō, cope with its smell and eat it, they’ll gain eternal youth.

#6: Kappa

If you’re ever near a Japanese pond or river, keep an eye out for Kappas in the water’s depths. This reptile-esque yōkai has a turtle-like shell and can be quite a handful. They love to wrestle people with their incredible strength and are commonly thought of as mischievous rather than evil. But in some stories, they’re vicious and have even slain and eaten water-goers. Kappas love to steal people’s shirikodama (she-REEKOH-damma), a mythical organ tucked inside derrières. Yep, you heard right. According to lore, Kappas also love cucumbers A LOT. So, when you’re near the water, probably best to have cucumbers with you in case you need to calm an angry, shirikodama-stealing Kappa.

#5: Aka Mantou

When using the toilet, you’re already in a vulnerable situation. But on top of this, you could also come face-to-face with the red-caped spirit, the Aka Manto. These entities can be found haunting public or school bathrooms. As you get down to business, it’ll approach you and ask a question. Usually, it’ll ask if you want red or blue paper, or a red or blue cloak. Unlike in “The Matrix”, both of Aka Manto’s options are bad. If you answer with either color, it’ll strike you down in a way that relates to the option you chose. Fun(!). Instead, you should ignore the ghost and run away from it.

#4: Tengu

If you were to put features from a human, a monkey, and a bird of prey in a bag and shake it up, a Tengu is what would fall out. These legendary creatures are known for their red face, long nose, and wings. The lore around them has changed over time. They were more bird-like in their early outings but became more humanoid later. Tengu can be depicted as mischievous entities but also helpful on occasion. As time went on, they became protectors of mountains and forests. There’s a more evolved form called a Daitengu (DYE-TENG-goo), which is even more humanoid.

#3: Oni

If you stumble across a tall, horned creature wearing the skin of a tiger as a loincloth, you’re in for a bad time as you’ve just met an Oni. These beasts typically aren’t nice, laying about them with their iconic iron kanabō (kahnna-BO) clubs. Oni come in different colors, with red and blue being the most well-known. This ogre-esque yōkai is featured in a festival called Setsubun (setsoo-BEUN) held in February. People throw roasted soybeans out their front door or at a family member wearing an Oni mask while yelling, "Oni go out! Blessings, come in!"

#2: Kitsune

Kitsune are magical foxes in Japanese folklore. As they get older, their supernatural abilities become stronger. Not too shabby. Among their powers is superior intelligence. There's even a legend that all Japanese foxes can transform into people. Since there are good and evil Kitsune, the bad ones will use their transforming skills to trick people, often by turning into beautiful women. The good ones act instead as guardians. Some Kitsune are connected to the kami Inari, and act as its messenger. As a Kitsune ages, it grows another glorious tail, as seen with Pokémon’s Ninetales. The Kitsune with nine tails are believed to see everything in the past, present, and future.

#1: Bake-danuki

As we learned from Super Mario, the tanuki (TAH-NOO-kee), or racoon dog, is an adorable animal from Japan. The Bake-danuki is its mythological counterpart. This yōkai shares a lot of similarities with Kitsune, such as transformation and magical powers. But while the Kitsune are seen as elegant, the Bake-danuki are more comical. They use their transforming powers to trick people for fun, rather than nefarious purposes. Bake-danuki can shapeshift into pretty much anything. There’s also another feature that the creature possesses: massive…um…acorns, if you catch our drift. Many stories of Bake-danuki include this unusual trait, and there’s even a kid’s song about it.