Japanese Mythology

Yatsufusa

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: –
Category: Dog

The Myth

Yatsufusa was a remarkable dog said to have been born in a village beyond Toyama in Awa Province. When he was only a week old, his mother was killed by a wolf, and the pup seemed certain to die. But a raccoon dog, appearing as a drifting will-o’-the-wisp, came and nursed him with milk. The pup survived and grew into an unusually large, powerful dog with sharp eyes and a noble bearing.

Word of this strange animal reached Satomi Yoshizane, lord of Awa, who summoned the dog to his court. The dog’s black-and-white coat bore eight peony-like markings, and so he was named Yatsufusa, “Eight Tufts.” He became the Satomi family’s cherished pet and grew deeply attached to Yoshizane’s daughter, Princess Fusehime, never leaving her side.

Years later, famine weakened the Satomi lands, and the enemy lord Anzai Kagetsura invaded. The castle stood on the brink of collapse. In desperation, Yoshizane jokingly told the starving Yatsufusa that if he killed the enemy general, he would reward him with Fusehime’s hand in marriage.

That night, Yatsufusa returned carrying the severed head of Kagetsura. The promise, made in jest, had been fulfilled in earnest. Yoshizane rewarded the dog with rich food and servants, but Yatsufusa refused all comforts, remaining beside the head as though waiting for the promised reward.

When Yoshizane realized the dog’s attachment to his daughter, he tried to drive Yatsufusa away. The dog broke loose and forced his way into the mansion, and Yoshizane prepared to kill him. Fusehime stopped her father, reminding him that a promise once spoken must be honored. Reluctantly, Yoshizane allowed her to leave with the dog.

Yatsufusa carried Fusehime into the mountains, where they lived together in a cave. She brought with her a copy of the Lotus Sutra and spent her days reciting it. Yatsufusa listened, growing calm and devoted, and never violated her. A hermit’s messenger later revealed that the dog’s true nature was bound to past grudges and karmic ties, but that the sutra’s power had begun to free him.

Through the merit of the sacred text, Fusehime conceived eight spiritual children. She later resolved that she and the dog should end their suffering and be reborn in better form. As Yatsufusa prepared to follow her into the water, a shot rang out. A warrior attempting to rescue the princess fired, and the bullet struck both dog and girl.

Fusehime died after proving her purity, and the rosary she carried burst apart, sending eight sacred beads flying into the world. From these beads would arise the Eight Dog Warriors, heroes bound by virtue.

After her death, Fusehime’s spirit was sometimes seen riding Yatsufusa, guiding the warriors who carried the beads and watching over their destinies.

Gallery

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Yafusa. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1069140273.html

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Sunekosu

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: –
Category: Dog

The Myth

Sunekosu is a strange creature said to appear in Oda County of Okayama Prefecture. It is most often encountered on rainy nights, when the roads are quiet and visibility is poor.

Those walking alone sometimes feel something brush suddenly against their legs. Looking down, they may glimpse the shape of a small animal like a dog slipping past them in the darkness. It moves silently and quickly, weaving between the legs of travelers before vanishing into the night.

The creature does not attack, but its sudden contact startles those who encounter it. Afterward, nothing can be seen or heard, leaving only the uneasy feeling that something unseen passed close by in the rain.

Gallery

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Sunekosu. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654292.html

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Zobutsu Daijoou

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Tradition / Region: Japanese religious folklore
Alternate Names: Kuriekisu, Great Queen of Creation
Category: Demon

The Myth

Zobutsu Daijoou is the highest-ranking of the twelve great demon kings described in a religious account of the demon realm. She is said to possess power one hundred times greater than that of an average god and is considered so terrifying that even powerful spiritual masters warned against approaching her. She has a white face, thin black eyebrows, yellow lips, and stands about three feet tall. Her hair rises two feet upward, bends backward, and divides into three sections that fall to her waist. She was said to have come into being when the accumulated shadows at the creation of the world condensed into evil energy.

Among the hundreds of demon leaders said to inhabit the demon realm, twelve hold the highest rank, and Zobutsu Daijoou stands above them all. Each of these demon kings rules a separate domain with their own followers and may bring disaster upon the human world. Alongside her in special distinction is the Queen of the Bottomless Sea, and together they are set apart from the rest.

On the night of July 19, 1880, a procession of these demon kings was said to pass across the sky. Their names were identified as they appeared, with Zobutsu Daijoou recognized as the foremost among them.

Gallery

Sources

TYZ Yokai Blog. (2018). 祖仏大王 (Zobutsu Daijōō). From https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1034642738.html

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Kasha

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Cat

The Myth

The Kasha is a cat-like yokai associated with death and the punishment of wrongdoers. It is said to carry away the corpses of those who committed crimes, and is often depicted grasping a body while connected to a flaming chariot or fire.

The Kasha appears when a person who has committed wrongdoing dies. It takes the corpse and carries it away, acting as an agent of karmic consequence rather than human judgment. It is portrayed as a cat-like being that may stand upright and seize the body, sometimes shown with a chariot of fire. Images of the Kasha appear in works such as death scrolls and mandalas, where it is shown taking the dead away. Its form varies by region, sometimes more monstrous and sometimes more cat-like, but it is consistently associated with the removal of sinful corpses and the inevitability of moral consequence.

Gallery

Sources

TYZ Yokai Blog. (2014). 火車 (Kasha). From https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010655129.html

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Yama-Otoroshi

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Tradition / Region: Japanse Mythology
Alternate Names: Otoroshi
Category: Mountain dweller, Ogre

The Myth

Yama-Otoroshi is a yokai said to inhabit Mount Tsurugi in the Tateyama mountain range. It is described as resembling an ogre with a red face and body and lacking iron bars. It was believed to wait on rocky outcrops and attack climbers.

It was said that before 1907, climbers failed to reach the summit of Mount Tsurugi because the Yama-Otoroshi waited on the rocks, seized them by the collar, and threw them to their deaths. After the Meiji period, the being was said to descend from the mountain and take up residence at temple gates such as Zenkoji Temple. There it grabbed non-believers by the collar and stopped them from passing through. In this form, it was also called simply Otoroshi. An illustration shows the red-faced, two-horned ogre throwing away a climber.

Gallery

Sources

TYZ Yokai Blog. (2016). 山おとろし (Yama-Otoroshi). From https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1058924391.html

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Torakoishi

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Tradition / Region: Japanse Mythology
Alternate Names: Toramishi, Tiger Stone
Category: Tiger, Stone

The Myth

Torakoishi is a legendary stone associated with Tiger Gozen, a courtesan of Oiso-juku known from Soga Monogatari as the lover of Soga Juro Sukenari. A stone kept at Entaiji Temple in Oiso is said to have been given through the power of Benzaiten, and is believed to possess protective and miraculous qualities. It became known as a local curiosity and was publicly shown at certain times.

According to tradition, the stone was connected to a girl born on the Day of the Tiger who grew as she aged through Benzaiten’s power. When assassins sent by Kudo Suketsune attacked, the stone took the form of Soga Juro, blocking the arrows and saving them. The stone at Entaiji Temple is said to ward off evil, grant children, and fulfill wishes when touched, and it was displayed to the public each May. During the Edo period it was known as a roadside attraction and was said that only handsome men could lift it. An 1859 print by Utagawa Yoshikazu depicts the stone with tiger legs and a tail startling passersby, in the style of local monster caricatures.

Gallery

Sources

TYZ Yokai Blog. (2022). 虎子石 (Torakoishi). From https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1080024030.html

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Kubiore Neushi

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Sleeping Cow with a Broken Neck
Category: Cow, Statue

The Myth

Kubiore Neushi is remembered as a stone cow statue connected to Takimiya Hachiman Shrine in Sanuki.

In the year 888, the land of Sanuki suffered a terrible drought. Rivers dried up, rice fields withered, and the villagers feared famine. Sugawara no Michizane, then governor of the province, fasted, purified himself, and climbed Mount Shiroyama to pray for rain.

At first, the heavens sent firestones and then pebbles, which frightened the people, but Michizane continued his devotions. On the final night of his ritual, the god of Mount Shiroyama appeared to him in a dream and told him that if he offered even a single drop of water to the heavens, a heavy rain would come.

Michizane threw his ink-soaked brush into the sky. At once, black clouds gathered, thunder rolled, and rain poured over the land. The dying crops revived and the villagers rejoiced. They gathered at Takimiya Hachiman Shrine and danced in celebration.

It is said that the joy of that day was so great that the stone cow statue before the shrine joined the dance. In its enthusiasm, the cow broke its neck and became known as the Sleeping Cow with a Broken Neck. The villagers preserved their celebration as the Takimiya Nembutsu Dance in memory of the rain and the event.

Gallery

Sources

TYZ Yokai Blog. (2021). 首折れ寝牛 (Kubiore Neushi). From https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1078437894.html

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Inugami

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: In’gami, Irigami
Category: Dog

The Myth

Inugami are powerful dog spirits said to serve human masters. They are known throughout western Japan, especially in Kyūshū and Shikoku, and are most often connected with wealthy or influential families.

To ordinary eyes, an inugami may appear as nothing more than a common dog. Its true form, however, is far more unsettling. It is said to exist as the mummified head of a dog, preserved and hidden within a secret shrine in the house of its owner. From this hidden vessel, the spirit carries out the will of the family it serves.

Inugami are loyal and obedient, performing tasks much like a living dog. They may bring prosperity, protect the household, or carry out secret commands. Families said to possess such spirits, known as inugami-mochi, treated them almost as members of the household. The spirits were believed to pass down through generations, so that each family member would have their own inugami.

Yet these spirits were not without danger. If mistreated or angered, an inugami could turn on its master with violent fury. They were also known for their power of possession. An inugami might enter a person’s body, settling inside and bringing suffering. Those possessed were said to feel strange pains, intense jealousy, or uncontrollable hunger, and some would bark like a dog. Removing such a spirit required another sorcerer and could take great effort and expense.

The creation of an inugami was believed to involve a dark and terrible ritual. A dog would be driven into extreme desperation through hunger and suffering, and at the height of that torment its head would be severed. The spirit born from that fury would become a powerful and vengeful entity. The head was then preserved and enshrined so that the spirit could be bound and commanded.

Because of the fear surrounding these practices, families suspected of keeping inugami were often shunned by others. Even the accusation of using such spirits could force a household into isolation.

Thus the inugami were remembered as loyal yet dangerous dog spirits — protectors, servants, and sources of both fortune and ruin, bound to families by dark rites and hidden shrines.

Gallery

Sources

Foster, M. D. (n.d.). Inugami. In yokai.com, from https://yokai.com/inugami/

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Hainu

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Dog, Yokai, Winged beast

The Myth

The Hainu is a legendary winged dog spoken of in the traditions of Chikugo in Kyūshū.

It is described as a powerful and fearsome creature, shaped like a dog but with wings that allow it to move swiftly through the air. Strong and fast, it could be as dangerous to humans as a wolf. Yet some tales say that, when tamed, a hainu could also be loyal and affectionate toward its master.

Stories of the creature are tied to events in the late sixteenth century, when the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi led his armies into Kyūshū.

One version of the legend tells of a terrifying winged dog that appeared in the region long before Hideyoshi’s arrival. The beast attacked travelers, slaughtered livestock, and spread fear throughout the countryside. When Hideyoshi’s forces passed through the area, the creature blocked their way. After a fierce struggle, the army finally killed it. Hideyoshi, impressed by the animal’s strength and cunning, ordered that it be buried with honor, and a mound was raised where it fell.

Another version tells a very different story. In this telling, the winged dog was not an enemy but Hideyoshi’s own companion. The animal followed him faithfully, flying above his troops as they marched. When they passed through Chikugo, however, the hainu fell ill and died. Hideyoshi was deeply grieved by the loss, and his retainers built a burial mound for the creature so that it would be remembered.

In later years, the place where the dog was said to be buried became known as Hainuzuka, the mound of the winged dog. A temple nearby preserved the memory of the legend, and monuments were raised in honor of the strange creature.

Thus the Hainu was remembered in two ways — as a terrifying beast and as a beloved companion — a winged dog whose story remained tied to the land where it was said to rest.

Gallery

Sources

Foster, M. D. (n.d.). Hainu. In yokai.com, from https://yokai.com/hainu/

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Okuri Inu

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Okuri Ōkami (“sending-off wolf”)
Category: Dog, Yokai

The Myth

The Okuri Inu is a dangerous spirit said to haunt mountain paths, forest roads, and lonely passes. It appears as a dog or wolf and is most often encountered at night, when travelers must cross the wild places between villages.

Those who walk alone in the dark may suddenly sense that something is following them. If they look back, they might see a dog-shaped figure pacing behind them, keeping exactly to their footsteps. The creature does not attack at once. Instead, it follows silently, waiting.

As long as the traveler keeps walking, nothing happens. But if they stumble, fall, or show weakness, the Okuri Inu leaps forward with supernatural speed and tears them apart.

Because of this, the spirit is both feared and strangely respected. While it stalks a person, no other beasts or spirits will come near. In this way it protects the traveler from all other dangers, even as it waits for the chance to become their doom.

Some say there are ways to escape it. If a traveler stumbles, they must quickly pretend it was intentional. Sitting down at once and speaking aloud as if resting — saying something like “Heave-ho” or “I’m tired” — may trick the spirit into thinking the fall was not a sign of weakness. Then it will wait patiently rather than attack.

If the traveler survives the journey and leaves the mountains safely, they should turn and thank the unseen follower for escorting them. It is also said that once home, a person should wash their feet and leave out food in gratitude. If this is done, that Okuri Inu will never follow them again.

The spirit’s name, meaning “sending-off dog,” comes from the way it follows travelers as if accompanying them on their way. Since ancient times, stories of this creature have been told across Japan, born from the dangers of mountain travel where a single misstep could mean death.

Thus the Okuri Inu is remembered as a watcher of lonely roads — a shadow that walks behind the traveler, guarding them from danger while waiting for the moment they falter.

Gallery

Sources

Foster, M. D. (n.d.). Okuri-inu. In yokai.com, from https://yokai.com/okuriinu/

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