Database: Yokai

Yōkai have been present for centuries in the collective consciousness of the Japanese. They are revenants, ghosts, and demons, as well as mischievous goblins or other supernatural phenomena that inhabit liminal space, places of passage that exist between the visible and invisible worlds. In the past, yōkai inspired anxiety or fear. Currently, it is a generic term to designate strange, or supernatural beings. Notably, yōkai are found in Noh theater plays as demonic women called hannya.

In ancient Japan, yōkai were depicted in "The Illustrated Scroll of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons," several versions of which have been preserved through copies. The scroll from Daitoku-ji Temple, dating from the 15th century, is particularly famous. Another painted scroll from the same period features the famous astrologer and divination specialist Abe no Seimei (921–1005). Renowned for his predictions, he was often depicted in the presence of yōkai. However, it was especially during the Edo period (1603–1867) that yōkai became the subject of structured reflection and true encyclopedias of yōkai, in several volumes, were created. With works like My Neighbor Totoro (1988) and Spirited Away (2001) by Hayao Miyazaki, yōkai made their grand entrance into animated movies. Since the late 20th century, yōkai have occupied a prominent place in the imagination of teenagers, including those in Western countries, with frequent use of their figures in manga, anime, and video games.