Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: 妖精, Fairy
Category: Fairy
The Myth
Yōsei is the Japanese term used for fairy-like supernatural beings, generally referring to small and mysterious spirits. In Japanese tradition, the word can describe beings resembling the fairies of Western folklore, while some older beliefs associate such creatures with supernatural powers that could affect the living and the dead.
One old belief from Iwate Prefecture held that yōsei could resurrect the dead, giving them an unusual and potentially frightening power over the boundary between life and death. Another tradition speaks of the small fairy-like people of Mount Hōrai, who were said to know nothing of great evil. Because they were untouched by such wickedness, their hearts never grew old, portraying them as beings of innocence and supernatural purity.
Japanese and neighboring traditions also contain several other small fairy-like peoples. Ainu folklore tells of the Koro-pok-guru, a race of small people, while Okinawan tradition has the Kijimunā, tree-dwelling spirits associated with banyan trees. Together, these traditions provide the wider Japanese folklore context in which yōsei can be understood as small, mysterious supernatural beings existing between the familiar human world and the realm of spirits.
Sources
“Yōsei.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 5, 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%8Dsei