A Collection Of Information On Youkai
A collection of practical information on the Japanese creatures and phenomena called "youkai". Currently a work in progress as I do more research.
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
10
Reads
1,975
What Are Youkai?
Chapter 1
The term "youkai" is generally used as a generic term to describe the mythical monsters of Japan, but while such creatures are youkai, the term also includes many other things, including those that are not even creatures.
The actual kanji for the term are as such: 妖 (yo) which means "bewitching", "unearthly", or "weird", and 怪 (kai) which means “mystery, wonder, strange.” So, the term youkai refers to anything unusual or unique or strange.
Furthermore, youkai can generally be classified further into four basic categories:
Of course, not all youkai will always fit into these categories, as youkai have seemingly infinite possibilities of form and being; but these categories cover the majority of most youkai you may see.Kaiju – 怪 (kai, mysterious) + 獣 (ju; beast), meaning “monster.” Most of Japan’s famous yokai are kaiju. Godzilla is a dai-kaiju, or “great monster.”Choshizen - 超 (cho; super) + 自然 (shizen; natural), meaning the supernatural, including mysterious natural phenomena.Henge - 変 (hen; strange) + 化(ge; to change, transform) , meaning shape-shifters like tanuki, foxes, and old cats.Yurei -幽 (yu; dim) + 霊 (rei; spirit), meaning ghosts, and spirits of the dead.
And how do youkai come into being?
It is said that the vast majority of Yokai are born from the emotions of human, especially the powerful emotions of fear, yearning or hate. But there are other ways for a Yokai to come into being: 1. From the violence of natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, windstorms or volcanic eruptions. 2. From the fear of dying accompanying disease and dire poverty. 3. From fear of animals, especially the terror humans feel at the prospect of being eaten by some beast. 4. From plants with lifespans that outstrip humans, like cedar and pine trees. It was thought that these trees would live forever, and there was a desire of humans to believe in something that had power over death, something indestructible. 5. From human belief in superstitions and stories, or the teachings of religions. There are things that scientific knowledge cannot explain, and it is there that Yokai are born.
