Japanese folklore is a little scary for its strange monsters, which are noticeably distinguished by their unusual shapes and features. This may be due to both the insular nature of the nation that created them, and the special nature of the country. Let's take a look at some of the most unusual creations of Japanese folklore.
Kappa
This creature, which outwardly resembles the European goblins, is also sometimes called the water monkey. The mouthguard has a dent on its head filled with water from its home spring. If he loses this water, he will lose magical properties. Kappas can drink blood and be angry, but sometimes they help people. The kappa is very fond of cucumbers, and those who want to gain the favor of the kappa should write their name on the cucumber and throw it into the pond where the creature lives. Kappa is renowned for its politeness and commitment. There are many varieties of kappa in Japanese folklore. There are mouthguards one-eyed, hairy, cowardly and many others.
Heikegani
Heikagani exist in reality. This is a species of crabs found in Japan. According to mythology, originally these crabs wore the faces of the samurai who died in the Battle of Dannoor. The appearance of these crabs does bear a distant resemblance to human faces. It is believed that in the past, the Japanese only ate crabs that did not resemble human faces.
Promotional video:
Akaname
Akaname's bath spirit roughly translates to "devouring impurities." He is attracted to dirty bathrooms, which he cleans with poisonous saliva and tongue. According to some assumptions, this monster was invented by the Japanese in order to make children keep their bathrooms clean.
Konak jiji
This little evil creature has the appearance of a baby and prefers remote mountainous areas. Hiding near the road, it is waiting for the appearance of a lonely traveler. It starts to cry, and when a person finds and picks it up, it becomes incredibly heavy. It is claimed that it can reach 350 kg in weight. On top of that, the one who lifted it is paralyzed and cannot throw the monster. The one who can withstand its weight can receive magical gifts.
Casa Obake
Legends that objects take on life after a certain time, especially if they constantly coexist next to a person, are quite common in world folklore. But Casa Obake is the name of a certain item, namely an umbrella, which comes to life after 100 years. Other objects that come to life have different names in Japanese legends and myths.
Nupeppo
This is not quite a creature, but rather revived body parts that can be found at midnight in desert temples or in cemeteries. Nothing is said about why they come to life and what is the meaning of their existence.
Mokumokuren
In ancient Japan, sliding, sliding paper walls were commonly used. Mokumokuren is a spirit that dwells in such a paper wall, but certainly full of holes. The more holes in the wall, the more likely it is that a mokumokuren will one day be spotted. But there is a sure way to get rid of the spying demon - to patch holes in the wall or install a new one.
GUSAKOVA IRINA