The Umibozu

Yokai are Japanese spirits that range from harmless to monstrous.  Some dwell in the woods, some dwell among the clouds, and some  (like the Umibozu ) dwell underwater.  The Umibozu resembles a gigantic mound of black flesh -- smooth and hairless like a shaven head.  This trait gives the yokai its name, which translates to "sea monk".  Unlike its namesake, the Umibozu is far from harmless.  It menaces ships that pass nearby, rising from the sea without warning.  It will then wreck the helpless vessel, dragging all onboard to a watery grave.

Thankfully, attacks by the Umibozu can be avoided.  Usually, the yokai remains submerged, and might not attack unless provoked.  While sailing, it is best not to speak its name -- a surefire way of summoning it forth.  If an Umibozu does attack, it may not sink its target directly.  Sometimes, it will ask for a barrel, which it will fill with water and use to flood the ship.  If an Umibozu makes such a request, give it a barrel filled with holes -- the creature will be unable to collect water, and will leave in frustration.  This beast, evidently, is not one of the smartest yokai.

Through the years, many explanations have been proposed for the Umibozu legend.  These range from natural phenomena like rogue waves and storm clouds to living beings -- like sea turtles and jellyfish.  The theory I find most believable equates the Umibozu to a large octopus.  The heads of these creatures look extremely similar, with a saclike structure and bulging eyes.  Furthermore, the Umibozu's torso bears long, scrawny limbs -- which greatly resemble octopus tentacles.

Read more about the Umibozu:
http://www.markburrier.com/illustration/umibozu/
http://hyakumonogatari.com/2012/02/21/umi-bozu-the-sea-monk/
Image (public domain) from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Kuwana_-_The_sailor_Tokuso_and_the_sea_monster.jpg

The Basan

Legends from every continent mention the "Will-o'-the-Wisp".  This mysterious phenomenon is witnessed only at night, usually in forests and swamps.  It manifests as a flickering ball of light, often seen at a distance through the trees.  Travelers may mistake these lights for lanterns, following them off the past and getting lost in the woods.  In fact, they are not human-made at all -- but what are they?

Nowadays, we know that the answer is swamp gas -- ignited by natural processes.  Bioluminescent fungus may also produce the "Wisp" phenomenon.  But these explanations weren't available until the advent of modern science.  The world's mythologies, understandably, thus came up with other answers.  Some legends claim these lights are demons, trying to lure wanderers to their doom.  Other say they are ghosts -- or fairies, or monsters, or something else entirely.  But my favorite theory comes from Japan.  The "Will-o'-the-Wisp" is produced by a yokai, it's claimed.  And this yokai is a fire-breathing chicken.

Yes, you read that right.  I did mention that there were a lot of strange yokai out there -- this is one of them.  It's called the Basan, and by day it sleeps in the canopy of the forest.  At night, it emerges from its sleep, and lights the darkened sky with its glowing, fiery breath.  The Basan is not dangerous -- thankfully, its fire produces no heat, and is incapable of burning.  This chicken's serve only to illuminate -- as a weapon, they're absolutely useless.

The Basan's flames are often mistaken for those of other yokai.  In fact, various creatures of Japanese legend can produce wisp-like fire.  One is the kitsune -- a trickster fox, which can produce glowing lights called Kitsune-Bi.  Other phantom lights come from Hitodama -- human souls, wandering the earth before entering the afterlife.  These are interesting legends, and certainly worthy of attention, but not quite so interesting as a supernatural chicken.

http://yokai.com/basan/
http://matthewmeyer.net/blog/2009/10/25/a-yokai-a-day-basan/
Image from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/ShunsenBasan.jpg (public domain)

The Nopperabo

The Nopperabo is a common type of yokai.  These creatures are trickster spirits, seeking to scare but generally not to harm.  They are capable of perfectly impersonating any human -- transforming their face and voice to match their target.  Upon doing so, they will terrify their victim's loved ones, engaging them in conversation before revealing their true identities.  Generally, to frighten a victim, the imposter will wipe off its face -- revealing a blank, featureless one underneath.  This is the true appearance of a Nopperabo.

A typical Nopperabo story goes like this.  A man is taking a nighttime walk, and sees a young woman crying by the side of the road.  Her face is buried in her hands, and the man goes over to comfort her.  When he asks if she is alright, she lifts her head to look at him --revealing the blank countenance of a Nopperabo.  Terrified, the man flees down the road.  As he continues along, he encounters a food vendor , with whom he shares his story.  At first, the vendor seems sympathetic -- until he, too, reveals his blank face.

The man loses his wits entirely at this point, and flees all the way home.  Shaking with fear, he arrives at his house, and nearly collapses from exhaustion.  Concerned, his wife asks what had happened and frightened him so badly.  The man relates his tale, explaining his encounters with the faceless girl and the Nopperabo at the food stand.  His wife comforts him, telling him that yokai aren't real, and that he must have been hallucinating.  The man, relieved, begins to convince himself that his wife is right.  He looks up to thank her for her advice... and sees the smooth, white features of a Nopperabo.

Nopperabo are sometimes referred to as "Mujina" -- a word meaning "badger".  In Japanese folklore, badgers are one of many animals to which supernatural powers are attributed.  Badgers, it is said, are capable of changing their shapes -- and transforming into a faceless Nopperabo.  This is a source of much confusion; Nopperabos are imposters who may be impersonated themselves.

Read more about the Nopperabo:
http://web.archive.org/web/20071231182409/http://www.geocities.com/area51/hollow/6166/faceless.html
http://matthewmeyer.net/blog/2009/10/23/a-yokai-a-day-noppera-bo/
http://www.japanpowered.com/japan-culture/noppera-bo-the-faceless-ghost
Image from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Ryoi_Nopperabo.jpg/220px-Ryoi_Nopperabo.jpg (public domain)

The Namazu

As of today, BeastPedia is adding a new category.  Meet the yokai, mysterious beasts of Japanese folklore!  These creatures are an incredibly diverse bunch.  Some yokai are ghosts, some are monsters, some are demons, and many are too strange to classify.  In no other mythology will you see an ox-headed spider or an animated teacup.  Believe me, I know.  Excited to read about some yokai?  You should be -- read on, and prepare to meet the Namazu.  It's one heck of a fish story.

Mythology is rife with giant fish, and it's hard to say which is most impressive.  The Greek Aspidochelone was the size of an island -- and was often mistaken for one.  The Bible presents a fish who swallowed a prophet, and Arabian legend gives us Bahamut.  This piscine Atlas was so large that the world rested on its back.  Still, in my opinion, none of these can rival the Namazu.  This catfish was so large, and so dangerous, that it had to be restrained by a god.

The Namazu spent most of its time buried underground.  There a vigilant deity held it in place, preventing it from ever breaking loose.  When the god's concentration slipped, the Namazu thrashed around -- causing the earthquakes that ravaged Japan.  This beast was natural disaster personified.

In 1855, the Namazu went from yokai to national symbol.  After a devastating earthquake leveled Edo, the catfish appeared in a number of woodblock prints.  These prints utilized the Namazu as a symbol of the quake, for reasons ranging from religious to satirical.  On one end of spectrum, people began to venerate the Namazu.  They saw it as a force of cleansing destruction, wiping out the corrupt old order and replacing it with something new.  Others used Namazu prints as a sort of "political cartoon."  They mocked earthquake profiteers (such as carpenters, who built new buildings) by depicting them as catfish worshippers.

The image of the Namazu is still commonplace in Japan.  This yokai lends its likeness to an earthquake-causing Pokemon, and is the logo of an earthquake warning system.  The Namazu has transcended its mythological roots, and is now an icon of popular culture.

Read more about the Namazu:
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/history-of-geology/2012/03/10/namazu-the-earthshaker/
http://pinktentacle.com/2011/04/namazu-e-earthquake-catfish-prints/
http://historyofgeology.fieldofscience.com/2011/01/namazu-earthshaker.html
Image (public domain) from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LaqF-3zoRrjFBVCLW3qdCWSQHThYbfUIIdEY57VDh8I1jyel6tCuBgSS6gPjS2ae4u8lKzONMXvYzywM8P_SF27UQMLIJgQO8TRGTZWRu5yfHzbEt6bR_q-cENTuQSMP_8CcR9ssoa3a/s1600/Namazu_Kashima.jpg