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Kikuno Monsters
An incomplete but growing list of the monsters by Kikuno as far as they are described on that site. Please keep in mind that errors and misunderstandings on my side are highly possible.
Many of the monsters are taken from the "One Hundred Stories of Demons and Spirits", some are direct edits from old woodcuts. If you are interested in these legendary creatures, you might want to check out the "Edo" monsters.
Akajita
Red Tongue. This creature lives in rivers.
Amikiri
A very annoying ghost that cuts mosquito nets in summer, or fishnets.
Aoandon
Blue paper-covered lamp stand. This is the ghost that appears when the last story is told and the last light goes out, if I understood it correctly.
Azukiarai
Azuki bean washing. A ghost that does not show, just makes a sound. It is assumed that it is a little old person.
Azuki Baba
Another ghost associated with the Azuki bean, an old woman. Seems to be somewhat more dangerous.
Bakeneko
Transforming Cat. Note the split tail.
Bakezori
Transforming straw sandals. There are lots of spirits that mimic innocuous objects.
Basabasa
Some sort of enormous chicken that flaps around your house at night.
Buruburu
Suddenly plunging into their necks, this ghost causes people to lose all courage.
Dodomeki
Literally, this means something like "Hundred Eyes". Multi-eyed monsters are popular in Japanese folklore. According to kikuno's text, this one is a pick-pocket, or the ghost of a dead pick-pocket, I'm not quite sure. Filename: dodo.
Gaki
Hungry Ghost, from Buddhist tradition. Greedy people turn into these ghosts after death, their punishment is similar to that of Tantalus.
Garei
Picture spirit: the person drawn on the picture becomes a ghost.
Harionago
Needle Woman.
Hitorima
This ghost absorbs candle flames and camp fires, leaving you in the cold and dark.
Hiruko
Some sort of boneless creature.
Hujin
Wind God. He brings plague and poor harvest. The white cloth is the sack he carries the winds in. His name is also transscribed as Fujin.
Hukuru Mojina
This ghost will transform into a human to get your trust. If you are careless, it will steal all your belongings (that's what the huge sack is for).
Hurusoma
This ghost causes the sound of wood being cut, and of falling trees.
Itimokunyudo
This creature lives in Lake Kamo in the Niigata prefecture. Underwater, it is invincible.
Kamaitachi
Sickle Weasel. They move so fast that nobody ever got a look at them. Kamaitachi live in the mountains of northern Japan and always attack in packs of three. The first knocks the victim down, the second slashed him, the third heals his wound. All that remains is a scar that neither bleeds nor hurts.
Karakasa
Chinese umbrella (?).
Kijimun
A mischievous wood spirit living in a large forest in Okinawa prefecture. Also called Kijimuna or Bubagaya.
Kubikajiri
Neck Nibbler, another type of hungry ghost.
Kuromakyo
Black demon mirror.
Kyochin
Mountain Giant (Yama Kyochin). Usually friendly, he becomes very dangerous when angered.
Me Kurabe
This monster is directly taken from an old woodcut. The literal translation is eye competition, and it is somehow linked with a historic event from 1170.
Nigawarai
Wry Smile. This ghost appears when a deceptive, ill-meaning person laughs.
Nikusui
Meat Inhaler. This ghost takes on the form of a young woman (17 or 18 years old), and if you go to near, it inhales the meat of your whole body.
Noderabo
A ghost lurking in deserted temples.
Ohgumo
Large spider.
Otorosi
This spirit lurks on the roofs of shrines, or on the torii, ready to drop down on people not behaving appropriately, killing them in the process.
Raijin
Thunder God. The small round objects around him are the drums he uses to make the thunder.
Sakayure
The spirit of a murderer, it dives into a well or drops you into a well, I'm not quite sure which. A search for sakayure returned absolutely no results, so I'm still a bit mystified.
Sansei
Mountain Spirit. About the size of a child, it can run very fast, cause sickness and burn houses. The etymology of the filename is unclear; sansei is usually the term for a third-generation Japanese American.
Siki
Stemming originally from India, this is something like a zombie, a walking corpse.
Sirouneri
The name obviously cannot be translated. Old dustcloths or mosquito nets, when neglected, become this ghost.
Takaonna
Literally "High Woman", a spirit that lives on the upper floor of a house (traditionally the women's quarters).
Tenjosagari
A ghost that dangles from the ceiling at night upside-down and scares people. Filename is tenjos.
Teso
Iron Mouse. This is something from Buddhist tradition, especially connected with the Mitsui temple in Shiga prefecutre.
Ubagabi
Greedy old women who steal the oil from the eternal light turn into this mysterious fire ghost, which appears on days with light rain.
Umibozu
a large head that appears suddenly before boats.
Wanyudoh
If you see this ghost, a wheel with a face in the center, your life is lost.
Yanagi Baba
Old Lady of the Willow. She resides in an old willow, can turn into an old woman or a beauty.
Yuki Onna
Snow Woman. She is beautiful but cold. If you go too near you will freeze to death.
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