The more recent of the two distinct “species” of Tengu that are known to inhabit the Japanese islands (see Karasu-tengu, p. 18). The Hanadaka-tengu’s physical appearance is based on that of the yamabushi, practitioners of Shugendo, a religion dedicated to asceticism and training in isolated alpine monasteries. Tengu are enormous, muscular creatures, with spectacularly long noses, bright red skin, and massive feathered wings. The most powerful are called O-tengu (Great Tengu), and are said to be the leaders of Tengu clans. The Hanadaka-tengu are said to be superior to the Karasu-tengu in the pecking order of the Tengu hierarchy.
Famed for vanity, they are known to love showing off their vast knowledge and, like the Karasu-tengu, have been credited with teaching some of Japan’s top martial artists their skills. Boasting an elaborate culture and deep ties to Japanese mythology, religion, and the martial arts, the Tengu are often described as minor gods. Even today, traditional masks featuring their visages are common sights in Japan.
These yokai have a wide variety of startling abilities—including the power to communicate without moving their mouths, and a flight speed reportedly on par with a jet aircraft.
A tengu mask
The Attack!
Famed for an obsession with discipline and spiritual training, a Hanadaka-tengu would rarely engage in acts of wanton violence. Instead it prefers to play tricks on its prey, often in an attempt to teach a wayward soul a lesson. Quite often the victims of this mischief are spirited away to some far-flung location. In one notable incident in 1812, a stark-naked man fell from the skies over the streets of Tokyo’s Asakusa district. Disoriented but uninjured, he claimed his last memory had been of hiking on a Kyoto mountainside long known as a home to the Tengu.
Tengu Proverbs:
“Tengu ni naru”—in keeping with the Tengu’s love of teaching and displaying their skills, this idiom means “to show off” or “to act overconfidently.”
Surviving an Encounter:
The humble and pure of heart have nothing to fear from a Tengu, but woe betide those who are pompous and self-important. If you’ve angered one, chances are you’re beyond any help we can offer here. May we suggest a change in attitude and lifestyle?
Being dropped nude onto the streets of Tokyo is merely embarrassing; you could well find yourself without clothes atop a remote mountaintop. And these sorts of pranks assume you haven’t upset a Hanadaka-tengu enough to make him truly angry, in which case you might well find yourself facing the point of an extraordinarily sharp katana blade—or being sent flying by a wave of his fan, which when swung forcefully can create a blast of wind more powerful than a hurricane.
Bottom line: your best bet for survival is to appeal to the Tengu’s sense of mercy. Beg for your life.
TENGU TRIPS:
Mt. Takao is the site of a temple dedicated to the Tengu, It was (and is) home not only to practitioners of Shugendo but a large population of Japanese giant flying squirrels. Some scientists theorize that the combination may be responsible for the large number of nocturnal Tengu sightings that once occurred here.
Tengu Tips:
Know your Tengu hierarchy. The Edo-era book Tengu-Kyo (The Book of Tengu) describes forty-eight Japanese mountains as being associated with specific Tengu clans. For example, Kyoto’s Mt. Atago is the home of a clan led by Tarobo; nearby Mt. Kurama, Sojobo. Even Mt. Fuji is home to the Daranibo clan. The total clan member population is estimated by the book’s author to be some 125,500 Tengu, giving a sense of the sheer prevalence of these creatures.
An 1867 print by Yoshitoshi. Talk about taking the Tengu by the nose! (Not recommended for amateurs.)
Ferocious Fiends: 003
Kappa
Ferocious Fiends: 003
Kappa
河童
Pronunciation:
(KAH-pah)
English Names:
Literally, “River Child”; Water Sprite, Water Imp, Water Goblin
Alternate Japanese Names:
Gawappa, Kawataro, Suitengu, Suiko
Gender:
Male
Height:
3 to 5 ft. (100 to 150cm)
Weight:
65 to 100 lbs. (30 to 45kg)
Locomotion:
Bipedal or quadrupedal (on land), webbed fingers/toes (in water)
Distinctive Features:
Beak-like mouth; Tortoise-like shell on back; Frog-like, removable skin; Water-filled depression on top of head; Three anuses and strong “fishy” odor
Offensive Weapons:
Claws, extensible arms, extreme flatulence
Weaknesses:
Dehydration, particularly of the “head dish,” which when spilled drains the kappa’s strength. Strong aversion to iron, deer antlers, and monkeys
Abundance:
Prevalent (But may be in decline due to global warming?)
Habitat:
Rivers, lakes, swamps, wetlands, and coastal areas
Claim to Fame:
If you’ve heard of any one yokai, it’s probably the kappa. Easily the single most famous yokai in Japan, this amphibious creature has long been feared as a vicious scourge of Japan’s rivers, swamps, coastlines, and other bodies of water. They are also known to take refuge in man-made structures such as cisterns and garden ponds. They are occasionally encountered on land in mountainous areas during the winter, when their watery homes freeze over. They can be tracked by their pungent body odor, said to be reminiscent of rotting compost. Kappa are the traditional “bogeymen” invoked by Japanese parents to frighten young children away from playing near lakes and rivers unattended.
According to one story, some nine thousand of the creatures swam en masse from China to Japan around the fifth century. Whatever their true origin, they have become the signature yokai of the Japanese folk pantheon.
The Attack!
Although generally considered unaggressive, a kappa can be absolutely vicious when
