Mythology!

Alruinmannetje

by

Tradition / Region: Dutch Mythology
Alternate Names: Galgenmannetje, Pismannetje, Alruin
Category: Plant

The Myth

The Alruinmannetje is said to be the root of the poisonous mandrake plant, shaped vaguely like a tiny human figure. Because of this form, people believed the plant was not merely a root but a being with a spirit living inside it.

It was feared above all when pulled from the earth. The Alruinmannetje was said to scream with such a terrible, piercing cry that anyone who heard it would fall dead on the spot. Only those who managed to survive this dreadful moment could claim the root. If they then treated it well — giving it a small bed, dressing it in cloth, and feeding it milk and food — the spirit within would become loyal to its keeper.

Once cared for properly, the Alruinmannetje was believed to whisper secrets to its owner and reveal hidden knowledge. It could also bring wealth. At night, it would fetch money for the household, and coins placed beside it in the evening would be found doubled by morning.

The root was sometimes called Pismannetje because people believed it sprang from the urine of a freshly hanged man beneath the gallows. From this grim origin, the plant gained its connection to death, magic, and the unseen world.

In Friesland, the name Alrún was also used for a witch from Raerd who possessed the power to heal people and lift enchantments, showing how the name of the root became linked not only to a plant, but to human magic as well.

Sources

Abe de Verteller. (n.d.). Van aardmannetje tot zwarte juffer: Een lijst van Nederlandse en Vlaamse elfen en geesten. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://abedeverteller.nl/van-aardmannetje-tot-zwarte-juffer-een-lijst-van-nederlandse-en-vlaamse-elfen-en-geesten/

Daigo Hakurō

by

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

The Myth

In the mountains of Daigo in Yamashiro Province, many wolves were said to roam, troubling travelers and woodcutters who entered the forests.

One day a young boy went into the mountains to gather firewood. As he worked, a wolf suddenly appeared, seized him, and carried him deep into the wilderness. When the wolf reached a grassy place, it set the boy down. Realizing he could not escape by force, the boy pretended to be dead.

The wolf clawed open the earth and dug a large pit. It pushed the boy into the hole and buried him beneath the soil. Yet each time the boy tried to move, the wolf returned to sniff the ground, guarding its hidden prey. At last, when the wolf seemed satisfied and went away, the boy dug himself free and climbed a tall tree nearby, hiding among the leaves to watch.

After some time, the wolf returned — this time accompanied by a great white wolf, far larger than the first. Together they dug open the pit, only to find it empty. The first wolf ran about in agitation, howling in anger, never suspecting the boy above them. At length it lowered its ears, bowed its head, and crouched before the great white wolf as if in shame.

The white wolf stood still for a time. Then it rose and struck the other wolf upon the head with its paw.

The punished wolf remained crouched and motionless. Evening fell, and the boy stayed in the tree through the night. By morning, passing woodcutters came near, and the boy cried out to them, asking for rescue and warning that a wolf sat below.

The men rushed forward with axes and blades, but the wolf did not move. When they approached, they found it already dead. Its skull had been crushed, and its head lay broken open.

When the boy told what he had witnessed, everyone was astonished. They praised his quick thinking and spoke of the strange justice of wolves, recalling the old saying that even tigers and wolves possess a sense of duty.

Thus the tale was told as proof that even among beasts, there can be order, judgment, and punishment.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Daigo Hakurō. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1074589299.html

Shōben-no

by

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

The Myth

In Kotonan Town of Kagawa Prefecture, charcoal burners working deep in the mountains lived in simple huts far from villages. At night they relieved themselves in buckets kept as makeshift toilets beside the huts.

Yet many mornings the buckets were found strangely empty.

People said that in the dark hours a creature known as the Shōben-no- came creeping out of the forest. Silent and unseen, it approached the huts and drank the urine left in the containers. No one ever clearly saw it, but its presence was taken for certain, for the buckets never remained full overnight.

Some believed the being was not a yokai at all, but a wolf in disguise. Wolves, it was said, craved salt, and the taste of urine drew them from the mountains. Across the region stories spread of wolves licking urine barrels or creeping near homes in search of the salty liquid.

To keep the creature away, some people moved their toilets indoors or placed them in courtyards. Others left salt outside in hopes of satisfying the animal before it came closer to the house.

In some places it was said that wolves which drank urine became dangerous and might attack people. In others, they were believed to do so only when sick, seeking the liquid as a cure. One tale tells that when a wolf repeatedly came to drink from a household’s bucket, the family prayed to the deity Gion-san, and after the prayers the visits ceased.

Thus the Shōben-no- remained a shadow of the mountains — perhaps a yokai, perhaps a wolf — known only by the emptied buckets it left behind.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Shoben-no. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654291.html

Kintakakō

by

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

The Myth

In the Saigo region of Miyazaki Prefecture, people once believed that certain invisible spirits could possess human beings. Among these were snake gods, Inari spirits, dog spirits, and a more powerful presence known as the Kintakakō.

Dog spirits in the region were thought to be unseen by ordinary eyes. Some said they appeared like rats, snakes, or dogs with forked tails. These spirits could be sent against a person out of jealousy, hatred, or rivalry. Those who were weak in body or spirit — the elderly, the sick, or pregnant women — were especially vulnerable.

When such a spirit entered someone, the person might suddenly lose their senses while walking along the road. They would shout strange words, speak wildly, or collapse before recovering as if nothing had happened. Others suffered joint pain, fever, or lingering illness. People believed these afflictions were the work of dog spirits directed by hostile families.

The Kintakakō were said to be similar to these dog spirits but of higher rank and greater power. They were feared because they were said to bite their victims. A person possessed by one was called a kazemochi. The condition was believed to run in families, passed down through bloodlines. Children under the influence of a Kintakakō were said to speak boldly and strangely, uttering words no child should know.

In nearby districts, certain priests known as Hijirigami were believed able to drive these spirits away. Some people described the possessing being as a small animal the size of a kitten. A household that secretly kept such a creature might prosper, for it was believed to harm enemies and steal fortune from others on behalf of its master.

Thus the Kintakakō was feared both as a curse and as a dangerous blessing — an unseen dog spirit whose bite could bring madness, illness, or hidden wealth, depending on whose command it obeyed.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Kintakakou. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1085598002.html

Inugami Myōjin

by

Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Inugami, Inuzuka, Loyal Dog
Category: Dog

The Myth

Across Japan there are many stories of loyal dogs who sacrifice themselves to save their masters, and in some places these dogs are worshipped as gods under the name Inugami Myōjin.

One ancient tale tells of a hunter who lived by the Shirajiya River. He hunted constantly in the mountains, killing deer and wolves without prayer or remorse. His only companion was a faithful hunting dog named Koshiromaru.

One day, the hunter entered the forest with his dog and was caught far from home when night fell. Uneasy, he took shelter beneath a rotten tree and prepared to sleep. As darkness deepened, Koshiromaru suddenly began barking wildly at him, leaping and circling in agitation. The hunter tried to quiet him, but the dog would not stop. Angered and thinking the dog had gone mad, the hunter drew his sword and cut off its head.

In that instant the severed head leapt into the hollow of the tree and clamped its jaws onto a giant snake that had been hiding there, ready to swallow the hunter whole. The head continued biting until the serpent died.

Realizing that his dog had tried to save him, the hunter was overcome with grief and remorse. To honor Koshiromaru’s loyalty, he built a shrine on that very spot and began worshipping the dog’s spirit as a deity. The shrine came to be known as Inugami Myōjin, and the region itself took its name from the dog’s sacrifice.

Another old story tells of a hunter in Mutsu who kept many dogs and often slept in the mountains with them. One night a single dog woke and barked fiercely, leaping at its master. Thinking it had turned savage, the man tried to strike it down. But when he stepped aside, the dog sprang into the hollow tree where the man had planned to sleep and attacked a massive snake hidden within. The hunter then understood the dog’s warning and killed the serpent. This time the dog survived, and the man returned home deeply grateful for its devotion.

In some darker versions, the master kills the dog in suspicion, only to be slain by the snake afterward. In others, the regretful master is reborn as a bird, forever crying out the dog’s name.

Because of these tales, loyal dogs who died protecting their masters came to be honored throughout Japan. Shrines, mounds, and place names commemorate them, and their spirits are believed to guard the living. Thus the faithful dog, once a humble companion, is remembered as Inugami Myōjin — a protector whose loyalty transcends death.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Inugami Myōjin. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1069534939.html

Inugami-onna

by

Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Dog, Shapeshifter

The Myth

Inugami-onna is said to be a strange and deadly being — a dog that has taken on the form of a woman.

She appears at first glance to be a beautiful human woman. Her face, body, and voice are entirely human, graceful and alluring. Only when looked at closely does her true nature reveal itself: her legs remain those of a dog, and from behind trails a canine tail that betrays what she truly is.

Those who encounter her are said to feel an immediate, piercing pain in their neck, as though struck by an invisible force. The pain worsens rapidly, and the victim soon collapses, dying in agony without any visible wound.

Because of this, people fear even catching sight of her. Some say she wanders lonely roads or deserted places, appearing silently before travelers. Others claim she comes only to those whose fate is already sealed.

Whether she was once a dog that became human through sorcery, or a spirit born from the power of an inugami, no one can say for certain. But the tales warn that beauty in the night may conceal something far more dangerous — and that meeting the gaze of Inugami-onna is often the last thing a person will ever do.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Inugami-onna. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1069395698.html

Inu

by

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

The Myth

The legend of Inu, the Feathered Dog, is said to explain the origin of the place name Hainuzuka (“Feathered Dog Mound”) in Chikugo, Fukuoka.

One tradition tells that in 1587, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi led his campaign to subdue the Shimazu clan in Kyushu, he brought with him a strange and wondrous dog that had wings. The animal was beloved by him and followed his army through the campaign.

While passing through the region of present-day Chikugo, the dog died — either from illness or from being struck by an enemy arrow. Hideyoshi mourned the creature deeply, and a burial mound was raised in its honor. The place where the dog was laid to rest came to be known as the Feathered Dog Mound.

Another version of the tale says that the feathered dog was not Hideyoshi’s companion, but a fearsome and mysterious beast that lived in the region. It was said to attack both humans and animals, causing terror among the villagers. During his Kyushu campaign, Hideyoshi ordered his troops to hunt down and kill the creature. After it was slain, a mound was built to commemorate the powerful beast and its fierce spirit.

To this day, what is believed to be the dog’s tomb remains at Sōgakuji Temple in Hainuzuka, and statues of the winged dog stand in the area as reminders of the old legend.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Inu. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1069206594.html

Umi-inu

by

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

The Myth

Umi-inu, the “sea dog,” is a mysterious creature said to dwell in coastal waters and harbors. It is rarely seen, but its presence is known through the damage it leaves behind.

One tale tells of a port official who went fishing one night. While he was out at sea, the water suddenly grew rough and waves rose violently. From the bow of his boat he heard a strange sound, as if something had clung to the wood and was gnawing at it. Fearing for his life, he rowed back to shore as quickly as he could.

The next morning, he examined the boat and found deep bite marks on the bow, each several inches wide. No one could explain them, but an old man declared that they must have been made by a sea dog.

Another story tells of a fisherman whose boat was seized in the night by something beneath the water. The vessel would not move no matter how he struggled. Only after he prayed repeatedly did the grip loosen and allow him to return home. When the rudder was inspected the next day, it bore several deep tooth marks, and two broken teeth were found embedded in the wood. The teeth were unusually white, one small and one large, and no one could identify what creature they belonged to.

In the Kumano region, a related belief speaks of a blue sea dog, said to be the spirit of a drowned child that wanders the ocean. It moves unseen beneath the waves and may approach boats in silence.

Because of these tales, fishermen feared the unseen creature of the water, believing that when something struck a boat from below, it might be the work of the Umi-inu.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Umi-inu. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1069165897.html

Jinmenken

by

Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Human-Faced Dog
Category: Dog

The Myth

Stories of dogs with human-like faces have appeared in Japan since the early modern period. Essays and collections of strange tales recorded rumors of such animals being born, often linked to human wrongdoing. One tale told that a dog in Edo gave birth to a puppy with a human face because a diseased man had lain with the animal in hopes of curing himself. Other stories repeated similar ideas of moral cause and supernatural consequence.

In the early twentieth century, newspapers reported another case in Ibaraki, where a household dog was said to have birthed a human-faced pup. The strange animal was reportedly kept and raised by its owner, becoming the subject of local fascination.

Much later, toward the end of the twentieth century, new rumors spread of a wandering creature called the Jinmenken. This being was described as having the body of a dog but the face of a human. It was said to appear in busy towns at night, rummaging through trash or darting along highways at unnatural speed. When people tried to approach it, the creature would speak in an annoyed human voice, telling them to leave it alone or to be quiet.

Many explanations were whispered about its origin. Some claimed it was the result of strange scientific experiments. Others said it was formed from the restless spirits of people and their dogs killed in accidents. Whatever its origin, the Jinmenken became known as a mysterious creature glimpsed only briefly before it vanished into the darkness.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Jinmenken. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1069515221.html

Inukashira Ito

by

Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Dog’s Head Thread, Kentō Thread
Category: Dog

The Myth

Long ago in Mikawa Province, a county governor had two wives. Both women raised silkworms and produced fine silk. One year, however, all of the silkworms belonging to one of the wives suddenly died. Her husband lost interest in her and stopped visiting her home, and she gradually fell into poverty.

One day, she discovered a single surviving silkworm on a mulberry leaf. She cared for it tenderly, hoping it would save her fortunes. But before it could grow, her white dog swallowed it.

Though she was overcome with grief, she decided not to punish the dog for the loss of a single worm. Instead, she wept in despair over her misfortune. As she cried before the animal, the dog suddenly sneezed, and from each of its nostrils emerged a thin white thread.

Curious, she pulled the threads, and they continued to unravel without end. She reeled in an enormous amount of silk—so much that it piled up around her like snow. At last, after producing an immense quantity, the dog collapsed and died.

The woman believed that the Buddha had taken the form of a dog to aid her in her suffering. She buried the animal at the foot of a mulberry tree in her field.

Later, her husband passed by her house and, seeing its desolation, entered out of pity. Inside he found his wife living quietly among heaps of beautiful silk, shining white and fine beyond compare. When he heard her story, he regretted abandoning a woman so clearly blessed by divine favor. From then on he remained with her and did not return to the other wife.

The mulberry tree above the dog’s grave grew strong, and the silkworms raised there produced exceptional thread. The silk became known as Inukashira Ito, the “Dog’s Head Thread,” and was sent as tribute to the Imperial Court, where it was valued highly and even used in the Emperor’s garments.

People said that the wife’s virtue from a previous life had brought her both divine aid and the restoration of her marriage, and that the faithful dog had given its life so that she might prosper.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Inukashira-ito. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1073346122.ht