Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Kutabe, Kudabe, Kutahe, Gudabe, Gutabe, Dodaku, Dotaku
Category: Cow
The Myth
The Kudan is a strange human-faced, bovine-bodied creature said to appear in Japan during times of great uncertainty. It is a prophecy beast, possessing the ability to speak and foretell events that will soon affect humanity.
According to traditions recorded from the Edo period onward, a Kudan could be born from a cow. After its birth, it would speak in human language and reveal a prophecy concerning coming disasters, epidemics, famine, drought, or war. Having delivered its message, the creature would die only a few days later.
One famous account places the Kudan’s appearance at Mount Kurahashi in 1836. This particular Kudan foretold abundant harvests and prosperity rather than disaster. People were instructed to display an image of the creature in their homes, where it would function as a protective charm against misfortune and disease and bring prosperity and a plentiful harvest.
A related creature, the Kutabe, was associated with Mount Tate and was more ominous. It warned of an approaching epidemic and instructed people to look upon an image of itself to escape the coming calamity. Some traditions even prescribed eating mochi made from seven-colored herbs after viewing its image.
The Kudan therefore occupies an unusual place among Japanese monsters: its appearance is terrifying, but its purpose can be protective. It appears briefly, reveals the fate awaiting humanity, gives people a means of surviving it, and then disappears through death.
Sources
“Kudan (yōkai).” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed August 21, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudan_(y%C5%8Dkai)