Tradition / Region: Japan (Edo-period yōkai scrolls)
Alternate Names: —
Category: Yōkai / Lion / Dog
The Myth
In illustrated yōkai scrolls from Japan, a creature known as the Nurikabe appears in a form unlike the better-known invisible wall of later folklore. This Nurikabe is a tangible beast with four legs and a powerful body. Its most striking feature is its enormous face, which bears three eyes that shine with an unnatural blue light. It has large, drooping ears like those of an elephant and two black tusks that curve outward. Its body is painted white, giving it a ghostly and imposing appearance. Some describe it as resembling a dog or a lion, though it does not fully match any known animal.
In the scrolls where it appears, the Nurikabe is shown near crashing waves. Behind it emerge figures such as Umi-otoko, a human seaman, and Umi-bōzu, a fearsome sea spirit. This setting places the Nurikabe at the boundary between land and sea, standing where the human world meets the supernatural. It does not act directly against the figures shown, but its presence dominates the scene, suggesting a powerful being that guards or obstructs passage.
The scroll depicting this Nurikabe is dated to the early nineteenth century. No clear written legend accompanies it, and its precise origin is unknown. It is uncertain whether this beast represents a specific local tradition or whether it was created by the artist as a yōkai form inspired by existing beliefs. Its connection to the later Nurikabe known for blocking travelers’ paths is not clearly stated in the original material.
As it appears in the scroll, the Nurikabe remains an enigmatic creature: a massive, watchful being standing firm amid waves and spirits, neither clearly hostile nor welcoming, marking a place where movement forward is uncertain and dangerous.