So many things about the Japanese and Japan itself fascinate me. When I visited Japan a few years back, it was one of the best places I ever visited. One of the best trips I ever had. I wanted to stay longer. The country is organized, very EXCELLENT customer service nearly everywhere, convenient, safe, and so many interesting things to see, experience and explore. There were so many places in Japan I wanted to visit and didn’t have time even though I was there for three weeks. Tokyo is an amazing Metropolis, and if I spoke Japanese, I would not mind living there. I really like so many things Japanese so very much. Well for now let me share some of their folklore with you… very interesting as with most things Japanese.

Tsem Rinpoche

These are the top 10 most bizarre creatures from Japanese folklore:

#10 KAPPA

This is a Kappa (“river-child”). According to Japanese folklore, Kappas are scaly, reptilian-skinned creatures who are about the size of a child. Although they are dangerous and are perceived as trouble-makers, they are extremely polite and understand Japanese culture and language.

One thing strange about them is the indentation at the top of their head. When away from water, it is said that they have to keep water within the bowl-like indentation to maintain their magical powers. Without it, they would be immobilized.

When in a threatening situation, a human can bow towards a Kappa. A Kappa, being very polite according to Japanese tradition, would then be obliged to return the bow, only to spill the water from the top of his head, becoming immobilized in a bowing position! Hehe

It is said that if you were to refill that bowl, the Kappa would serve you for all eternity.

You may have heard of Kappas before without realizing it: “Kappamaki”! Kappas are known to really like cucumbers – you could possibly even befriend Kappas by giving them cucumbers. Because of this, the cucumber-filled sushi was named after them.

On the bad side, they have been blamed for causing animals and children to drown, for causing children to be kidnapped and women to be raped… However, because they hold their promises honourably, if you were to trick a Kappa into promising you something, he would have no choice but to carry it through. They have been known to help farmers irrigate their land and pass out knowledge on medicine. There are existing shrines dedicated to those Kappas that have served a human in some way.

#9 HEIKEGANI

A Heikegani is a crab that has a shell resembling a human face! The Japanese believe that the crabs are reincarnations of a fallen and lost ruling clan called the Heike. They were led by the Emperor of Japan, who was only a 7 year old boy then.

In a bloody war with another samurai clan, they lost a battle close by the Japanese inland sea, and the Emperor (together with his grandmother) drowned in the depths of the ocean.

To honour the Heike whose clan was wiped out in the Japanese waters, crabs which have shells looking like human faces are released back into the waters. The Japanese wouldn’t want to eat crabs which they thought were reincarnations of those fallen warriors.

I have added a video produced and hosted by Carl Sagan.

Oh… the Heikegani is not a legend. They really exist hehe

Or view the video on the server at: http://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/Legend-of-the-Heikegani-Crab.flv

#8 KASA-OBAKE

Called the “Umbrella Ghost”, the folk legend about this Japanese spirit came about after the umbrella was used for 100 years. Kasa-obake are a type of “Tsukumogami” which are objects that will come to life after existing for 100 years… i.e. when a TV exists for 100 years, it becomes an animate object!

The Kasa-Obake were animating so often that the Japanese people wanted to give them another name, to distinguish them from the other Tsukumogami’s… so they named them Kasa-Obake!

#7 NUPPEPPO

The Nuppeppo is a Japanese folk legend that has very little information available on the Internet.

They are apparently a lump of human flesh that smells like rotting flesh. There is some sort of face that creates creases on the blob-like body, and they have fingers and toes. They are about 1.5 metres tall and if you happen to get the chance to eat a Nuppeppo’s flesh, you could possibly live for an eternity in a young, youthful body.

They can apparently be spotted at graveyards or deserted temple areas when the clock strikes 12 midnight.

#6 MAKURA-GAESHI

Makura-Gaeshi is also known as the “pillow-mover”. They are known to be a trickster or a prankster, moving pillows from a peacefully sleeping persons’ head to his feet! Hehe

The creature, who can apparently steal souls too… are only visible to children.

The Japanese are very specific with this mystical creature… they have even pointed out its anatomical features!! Apparently, the Makura-Gaeshi has 5 organs: one for storing children souls, one for converting the souls to energy and supplying that energy to the rest of the body… and a pouch that has sand in it. They would put sand into people’s eyes to make them go to sleep.

The Makura-Gaeshi also has 2 brains. One for scheming out pranks and one for creating rainbow coloured light that is emitted through its eyes.

#5 MOKUMOKUREN

The Mokumokuren are spirits that live in torn paper sliding walls/doors (shoji). This type of door is commonly found in Japanese houses, and can collect many holes over time.

If there are many holes on the paper sliding walls. it increases the chance of someone seeing the eye of a Mokumokuren staring through them. If you were to stare at it for long enough, it can apparently make you blind!

The only way to get rid of the spirit, is to patch up your walls. Easy enough!

#4 KONAK JIJI

The Konak Jiji is a mystical creature that takes on the form of an infant. It is very malicious and draws its victims in by crying like a baby when someone’s in sight.

It is human nature that people will want to look for the child to comfort it… but upon finding the child and picking him/her up, the child will spontaneously put on an enormous amount of weight – possibly up to 300kg!

You wouldn’t be able to let go of the child as upon touching it, you’d be immediately paralyzed. However, it is said that if you don’t get crushed under all that weight, you would instead receive magical powers.

There is a spirit similar to Konak Jiji’s in Malaysia, they are called Toyol. They are a lot more sinister, and could possibly fall under the category of black magic.

#3 AKANAME

Akaname is also called the  “filth-licker”… and that is literally what they apparently exist to do! They dwell in places which are filthy, like uncleaned toilets and use their very long tongues to lick all the grime and dirt off their poisonous saliva.

It is believed that this creature was made up by parents to scare their kids into cleaning their bathrooms. However, it was Toriyama Sekien who came up with the mystical creature. He was an 18th century scholar and artist of Japanese folklore, who attempted to catalogue all of the Japanese folklore creatures.

#2 ITTAN

The Ittan (or Ittan-momen) are Japanese folklore’s form of ghostly phenomenon. They exist as a 33-ft long strip of white cloth and are not that frightening by nature. However, if THEY are scared or frightened (or are the “evil” ones), they might just wrap themselves around your head and smother you to death!

In Japanese, Ittan-momen is translated as ‘one-tenth hectare of cotton’. They do have a friendly side and can be worn by those who have gained their trust.

They have appeared in manga (Japanese comic) series such as GeGeGe no Kitaro and various video games and movies. All Japanese, of course hehe

#1 SHIRIME

Shirime or “anus eye” is an odd Japanese mystical folklore creature that has an eye where his anus is supposed to be!

Folklore describes how there was once a samurai who was walking along a road in Kyoto at night. Someone shouted from behind, asking him to wait. The man was so nervous that he quickly turned around to ask who was there, only to find another man undressing and pointing towards his bottom, an eye mysteriously appearing where the man’s anus was meant to be.

The Japanese poet and artist Yosa Buson liked this mystical creature so much that he has added him into many of his paintings.

The photos above are extracted from: http://listverse.com/2010/01/20/10-bizarre-creatures-from-japanese-folklore/