Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Shadow Crocodile
Category: Crocodile
The Myth
Kagewani is a yōkai from the folklore of Yunotsu in Shimane Prefecture. Although its name means “Shadow Crocodile,” it is actually described as a supernatural shark.
According to legend, the creature swims beneath ships and watches the shadows of sailors reflected on the surface of the sea. If the Kagewani swallows a sailor’s shadow, that person is doomed to die.
One tale tells of a sailor who succeeded in shooting and killing a Kagewani while at sea. However, after returning home, he was walking along the beach when a fish bone pierced the sole of his foot. The wound proved fatal.
Later, the bone was identified as having belonged to the slain Kagewani, and the sailor’s death was regarded as the creature’s final act of vengeance.
Sources
TYZ. (n.d.). 影鰐 (Kagewani). In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654388.html