Umashika

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Foolish
Category: Horse

The Myth

Umashika is a yōkai depicted in Edo-period monster picture scrolls, including the Hyakki Yagyō Emaki preserved in the Matsui Bunko collection.

The creature has a beast-like appearance with a long face resembling that of a horse, deer-like hooves, and a single horn. It wears clothing and is distinguished by one eye that protrudes from its socket.

It is believed that Umashika was created through a visual play on the Japanese word baka (“fool”), giving the yōkai its unusual form rather than deriving it from an older folk tradition.

Sources

TYZ. (n.d.). 馬鹿 (Umashika). In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010655018.html.

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