This book is the Ultimate Guide to Japan's supernatural creatures! Yokai come in every imaginable shape and form--ranging from frightening ghosts that haunt our dreams and cruel demons that are deadly killers to cute fairies and mischievous enchanted animals that prank unwitting humans. They can be evil monsters, harmless tricksters or prophets of impending doom, depending on their appearance and inclination. But all Yokai are fascinating and this book profiles the most interesting ones. The 100 Yokai presented in this book include: Tengu: A powerful Yokai often seen in human form with wings and a large nose that lives in mountains and forests Kappa: A deadly Yokai that lives near rivers and drags passersby into the water to drown Pero Taro: A grotesque Yokai that looks like blubbering child but actually hunts and eats greedy children Tantan Kororin: A strange spirit with the head of a persimmon that wanders among persimmon trees and is mostly harmless but terrifying when stumbled upon Zashiki-warashi: A ghostly spirit found in people's homes that plays pranks on the human inhabitants but can also bring good fortune Sunekosuri: An annoying Yokai resembling a cute dog that runs between people's legs, not meaning any harm but sometimes causing them to fall down Baku: A monstrous Yokai with an elephant's head, a bear's body, a rhino's eyes, an ox's tail and a tiger's legs that actually aids humans by feeding off of their nightmares And many more! Yokai expert Masami Kinoshita has been documenting Yokai in folklore, and in real life, for many years. This book presents her most interesting findings. It has over 175 full-color illustrations that vividly depict the incredible appearances of these weird creatures. No matter their origins, each Yokai has a strange and wonderful story that is sure to amaze you!.
The Japanese Yokai Handbook : A Guide to the Spookiest Ghosts, Demons, Monsters and Evil Creatures from Japanese Folklore