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Folktales

Illustrated yokai folktales

Panel-art retellings from Japanese folklore. Each tale lives on its creature’s page.

295 illustrated stories

Ōmukade

Ōmukade

大百足

Yokai

In the depths of autumn, when the wind whispers secrets to the mountains, I chanced upon a village beset by darkness. Th...

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Ōkubi

Ōkubi

大首

Yokai

In a small village nestled in the mist-shrouded mountains, there lived a young woman named Emiko. She was known for her...

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Ōkamuro

Ōkamuro

大顔

Yokai

In the sleepy town of Shirakawa, where cherry blossoms bloomed in every corner and misty rain veiled the streets at dusk...

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Zunbera-bō

Zunbera-bō

ずんべら坊

Yokai

In the quiet village of Akakawa, where the misty dawn often lingered into morning, there lived a young man named Kaito....

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Zennyo Ryūō

Zennyo Ryūō

善如龍王

Dragon

In the mountains of Kyoto, where the misty veil of dawn still clung to the valleys, a young acolyte named Kenji tended t...

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Zashiki-warashi

Zashiki-warashi

座敷童子

Spirit

In the mist-shrouded mountains of Iwate's countryside, there stood an old inn, its wooden sign creaking in the gentle br...

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Yōsei

Yōsei

妖精

Yokai

In the depths of autumn's haze, when the maples donned their fiery crowns and the air grew crisp with the scent of woods...

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Yukinko

Yukinko

雪ん子

Yokai

In the snow-shrouded village of Akakawa, where the winds howled through the pine trees like a chorus of restless spirits...

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Yuki-onna

Yuki-onna

雪女

Yokai

In the village of Hakuba, nestled between two great mountains, there lived a young woodsman named Kaito. He was known fo...

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Yosuzume

Yosuzume

夜雀

Yokai

In the depths of Kyūshū's mountains, where the wind whispers secrets to the trees, I once encountered the Yosuzume. It w...

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Yomotsu-shikome

Yomotsu-shikome

黄泉醜女

Yokai

In the depths of Yomi, where the misty veil shrouds all, there dwelled a coven of Yomotsu-shikome. Their twisted forms w...

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Yato-no-kami

Yato-no-kami

夜刀神

Yokai

In days when the sun still wore its crown of glory, a young couple, Kaito and Emiko, fled their war-torn village to find...

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Yatagarasu

Yatagarasu

八咫烏

Yokai

In the depths of autumn, when the rice fields shimmered with golden light and the trees donned their crimson finery, a y...

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Yanari

Yanari

家鳴

Yokai

In the sleepy village of Shirakawa, where misty mountains kissed the sky and bamboo forests swayed in the wind, there st...

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Yamata-no-Orochi

Yamata-no-Orochi

八岐大蛇

Yokai

In days when time was measured by the seasons and darkness dwelled in every shadow, there lived an ancient crone who ten...

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Yama-waro

Yama-waro

山童

Yokai

In the depths of Akakawa mountain, where cedar trees pierced the sky and waterfalls sang to the wind, there lived a Yama...

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Yama-uba

Yama-uba

山姥

Spirit

In the depths of Akakawa Valley, where misty dawn veiled the mountainsides, an old woman dwelled. They called her Yama-u...

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Yama-otoko

Yama-otoko

山男

Yokai

In the misty mountains of old, where the cedar trees stood sentinel and the wild cherry blossoms bloomed like pink firef...

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Yama-oroshi

Yama-oroshi

山颪

Yokai

In the depths of winter's chill, when snowflakes danced and swirled about the mountain villages, there lived an elderly...

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Yama-inu

Yama-inu

山犬

Yokai

In the depths of Kyūshū's rugged mountains, where cherry blossoms bloomed in secret gardens and mist veiled the peaks, t...

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Yama-chichi

Yama-chichi

山父

Yokai

In the depths of winter, when snowflakes danced in the mountains and shrouded the villages below, Kaito ventured into th...

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Yama-bito

Yama-bito

山人

Yokai

In the depths of Akakawa valley, where the forest grows dense and the mist lingers, there lived an elderly man named Kai...

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Yama-biko

Yama-biko

山彦

Yokai

In the mist-shrouded mountains of Akakawa, where the wind whispers secrets to the trees, there lived a traveler named Ka...

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Yakubyō-gami

Yakubyō-gami

厄病神

God

In the sleepy village of Katsuragi, nestled between two great mountains, a terrible affliction had taken hold. Crops wit...

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