Translation: lung shaku (a type of infection) Alternatenames: sokuhon Habitat: the lungs
Appearance: Haishaku originates under the right armpit and gradually migrates into the lungs. It grows from a smaller larval form into a large, white, lumpy shape that envelops the lungs and causes sickness. Its nose opens directly into the lugs, so it is extremely sensitive to smells.
Interactions: People infected with haishaku develop smooth, white skin. They begin to dislike strong smells, whether good or bad, and instead prefer raw, fishy smells. They prefer spicy foods over bland ones. They also commonly become pessimistic and depressed. Because the haishaku is shaped like a cloud, their hearts too become cloudy and subdued. Tears will also flow like rain.
Haishaku infections can be treated with very gentle and shallow acupuncture. Anything stronger than that will be too painful for the victim.
Translation: Dream Eater; based on the Chinese name for the same creature Habitat: deep in thick forests Diet: bad dreams
Appearance : The baku is a strange, holy beast that has the body of a bear, the head of an elephant, the eyes of a rhinoceros, the tail of an ox, and the legs of a tiger. Despite their monstrous appearance, baku are revered as powerful forces of good and as one of the holy protectors of mankind.
Behavior: Baku watch over humans and act as guardian spirits. They feed on the dreams of humans—specifically bad dreams. Evil spirits and yōkai fear baku and flee from baku-inhabited areas. Because of this, health and good luck follow baku wherever they go.
Interactions: The baku’s written name and image have been used as symbols of good luck in talismans and charms throughout Japanese history. In the old days, it was common to embroider the kanji for baku onto pillows in order to keep away bad dreams, sickness, and evil spirits. Fearsome baku images are commonly carved into the pillars above temple doors and on the columns supporting temple roofs. Baku are one of only a handful of holy creatures honored in this manner.
Origin: Legend has it that when the world was new and the gods were making the animals, the baku was put together from the leftover bits and pieces at the end of creation. That explains its bizarre appearance, and why it is considered a favorite of the gods.
Today, the Japanese word baku also refers to the tapir. The animal was named for its uncanny resemblance to this holy chimerical beast.
Yōkai, (妖怪) is a broad and vague term, and nothing exists in the English language that quite describes it. They can best be understood as supernatural creatures and phenomena from Japanese folklore. The word is a combination of the characters 妖(yō–attractive, bewitching, calamity) and 怪 (kai–mystery, wonder). Many English words have been used in translations. Yōkai can be translated as monster, demon, spirit, or goblin, but it encompasses all of that and more. The world of yōkai also includes ghosts, gods, transformed humans and animals, spirit possession, urban legends, and other strange phenomena. Even in Japanese, the term is difficult to define. The broadest possible definition of yōkai includes all supernatural creatures and phenomena from all parts of the world. On my site I narrow Yōkai to all supernatural creatures and phenomena which are found in Japanese folklore.
Japanese folklore is an amalgamation of different traditions, with its foundation in the folk religions of isolated tribes living on the Japanese isles. These traditions were modified by Shintō and later Buddhism, incorporating elements from Chinese and Indian folklore and mythology as well.
In ancient Japan, spirits were thought to be formless and invisible to the human eye. However, as artistic traditions developed, it became necessary to visually depict the spirits and monsters from stories. These begun as painted scrolls, and later expanded into multi-volume illustrated encyclopedias of strange tales and supernatural stories.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), there was an unprecedented flourishing of culture and art in Japan. Ghost stories and stories about monsters and strange phenomena from the all over Japan experienced a huge surge in popularity. The very first mythical bestiaries were put together by folklorists and artists like Toriyama Sekien, who collected the oral traditions of rural Japan for consumption by the growing urban population. Sekien’s yōkai encyclopedias set the stage for other artists. It quickly expanded into every aspect of Japanese culture, from fine art to high theater, from aristocratic ghost story-telling parties to low class bawdlery, and so on.
Yōkai fell out of popularity during the Meiji restoration, when Japan modernized its society and culture. They were all but abandoned as a relic of a superstitious and past. After World War II, manga artist Shigeru Mizuki reintroduced them to a modern Japan. His series “GeGeGe no Kitaro” caused a second explosion of interest in the supernatural. Today, the influence of yōkai can again be seen in all aspects of Japanese culture, from manga and anime, to video games, brand labels, and even on Japanese currency.
Mark Bere Peterson’s Counterculture, Urban Legends, Paganism & Witchcraft 