Yōkai

A print of yōkai by Kawanabe Kyosai.

Yōkai are a type of creatures appeared in Japanese old stories, such as oni (the evil), kappa, or tengu. There are thousands of yōkai. Originally, yōkais are made to explain natural phenomenon when the science have not advanced enough. In edo period, yōkais are used as character of stories in books, and in this age many new yōkais are made. Even yōkai dictionary was made.