Youkai

events unfold slowly, yokai do not appear immediately

Kasa-obake and Chochin-obake are animated umbrellas and paper lanterns. They have one leg, one eye, and a sticking out tongue—they look comical and like to give you a little fright and then run away.

• Tofu-kozō — "tofu boy." A small yokai who carries a tray of tofu and simply... stands or walks by. In modern versions, he's practically a talisman of kindness (though in older stories, he could scare you with sour tofu).

• Hitosume-kozō is a one-eyed boy monk. He's not evil: he pops out from around corners and says "boo!" to scare adults, then runs away giggling.

• Sunekosuri - "rubbing against shins." A small, furry creature that clings to travelers' legs like a kitten on rainy nights. It causes no harm, except perhaps tripping from surprise.

• Kappa is a watery pest with a cup of water on his head; he loves cucumbers and loses his strength if he bows and spills the water.
• Kitsune is a werefox and master of illusion; can protect, seduce, or take revenge; associated with the god Inari.
• Tengu are mountain spirits with a long nose/beak; they punish pride but teach discipline and martial arts.
• Tanuki are cheerful, shape-shifting tricksters (raccoon dogs); they bring good luck and love pranks and transformations.
• They are horned demons with clubs; embodiments of punishment and chaos; on Setsubun they are "driven out" with beans.
• Yuki-onna is a snow woman: beautiful and icy; she freezes travelers, but sometimes has mercy on the kind.
• Nopperapo is a faceless ghost: it looks like a person, then erases its face, scaring the living daylights out.
• Kuchisake-onna is an urban legend: a woman with a slit mouth asks "Am I beautiful?"; a wrong answer means trouble.
• Nururihyon - "slippery gentleman": sneaks into the house and acts like the owner, remaining elusive.
• Rokurokubi are ordinary women during the day, but at night their necks stretch to incredible lengths.