Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Dog
The Myth
In old tales recorded in Tōsei Goji Fusen Kaikyō, there is mention of a strange being called Kyan.
Night after night, travelers passing near the former mansion of Ono Sadakuro reported being harassed by something unseen. As they walked the road, they would suddenly feel a presence beside them. Coins would vanish from their purses, and small valuables would disappear without a trace, as though snatched by an invisible hand.
People said that the culprit was Kyan, a yokai whose name echoed the sharp cry of a barking dog. It was believed that the creature behaved much like an inugami, a dog spirit that knew the desires of its master and stole what was needed to satisfy them. Like such spirits, Kyan prowled the streets in the dark, troubling passersby and taking whatever small wealth it could seize.
Because of this, some came to see Kyan as a supernatural thief tied to the shadow of Ono Sadakuro, the infamous rogue. Others said it was the spirit of greed itself, wandering the night in canine form, forever snatching coins from the living.
Whatever its true nature, travelers learned to guard their belongings carefully when passing that road after nightfall, for if Kyan was near, even the smallest coin might vanish into the dark.
Gallery
Sources
Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Kyan. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1069339638.html
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