In #JapaneseFolklore there is a #yokai known as yama uba, which can be translated as mountain witch. In some folklore they live alone in remote areas and sometimes appear as kind old ladies offering travellers a place to stay. But late at night they magically transform back into... #FolkyFriday 1/5

In #JapaneseFolklore 'The Cat Witch of Okazaki' is a tale about three travellers who stopped at a temple on their way home from a pilgrimage. They found a kind old lady called Osan living there who invited them to spend the night. While there, they witnessed something very... #FairyTaleTuesday 1/4

In #JapaneseFolklore baku are chimera #yokai known as dream-eaters. If you wake from a bad dream it is possible to call on the baku to eat the nightmare. But beware, if the baku is too hungry it can eat your dreams and aspirations too. It is believed that Baku were created... #MythologyMonday 1/3

In #JapaneseFolklore there is a #yokai known as kamikiri mushi. It's a type of magical insect with razor-sharp hands and beak. They sneak into homes and cut off people's hair while they are sleeping. Some believe that kamikiri attacks are to prevent people unknowingly marrying... #FolkloreSunday 1/2

In #JapaneseFolklore kanashibari is the term used for sleep paralysis, which can feel like the real and dream worlds are mixing. In past times, this phenomenon was attributed to supernatural forces, and in some cases spirit possession by #yokai, particularly kitsune or tanuki. #WyrdWednesday 1/3

In #JapaneseFolklore there is a #yokai known as makuragaeshi, which translates as 'pillow flipper.' This creepy phenomenon is caused by a ghostly child spirit believed to haunt rooms. If you sleep there, you may wake up with your pillow flipped over, or even find it down at... #MythologyMonday 1/2

In #JapaneseFolklore it is possible for inanimate objects to obtain a spirit (or kami) once they reach advanced age, usually around 100 years old. At this point they become a #yokai known as tsukumogami and develop supernatural powers. If the object was... #FolkloreThursday #ukiyoe #JapaneseArt 1/2

For today's #MythologyMonday I thought I'd share this Japanese tale about a magical wooden doll in the likeness of a sumo wrestler because I like how it ends. Long ago five bandits stormed into a wealthy man's mansion. They tied up his family and demanded that he take... #JapaneseFolklore #yokai 1/4

In #JapaneseFolklore there is a wish-granting #yokai that resides in dolls and is known as hinnagami. They are created by a complex magical ritual of collecting earth from graves, shaping it into a doll and then leaving it on the roadside to be trampled on by 1000 people. But... #WyrdWednesday