In Japanese folklore there are many tales about cat witches that are connected to yokai known as kaibyo, or supernatural cats. These are not witches in the western sense of the term, but rather evil supernatural spirits that take the form of a cat.
Literally "cat-monster", the bakeneko is a yôkai (spirit of Japanese folklore) taking on the appearance of a long-tailed cat. This tail would allow it to walk on two legs, and some special abilities like speech, metamorphism, and even the resurrection of the dead!
Evil creature, the Bakeneko (化け猫 or "changed cat") is a cat demon at the origin of many legends. He is a member of the yokai family: the spirits of Japanese folklore.
Nekomata are a malevolent yokai from Japanese folklore and mythology, belonging to the neko class of animal spirit - like all neko the Nekomata are envisioned as a type of demonic feline but are distinguished from other neko by the fact they always have two tails, they are also considered the most evil of all neko ...
A Bakeneko (化け猫, "monster cat") is, in Japanese folklore, a cat with supernatural abilities akin to the kitsune or tanuki . There are legends about bakeneko everywhere in Japan, and the story of the bakeneko of Sagahan is especially famous.
The opposing term is tachi, or “top.” Many English-speaking people also use it to reference the game Neko Atsume (either meaning the game itself or the cats featured in the game).
In Japanese folklore, kitsune (狐, きつね, IPA: [kʲi̥t͡sɯne̞] ( listen)) are foxes that possess paranormal abilities that increase as they get older and wiser.
Tengu (Japanese: 天狗, lit. 'Heavenly Sentinel') are a type of legendary creature found in Shinto belief. They are considered a type of yōkai (supernatural beings) or Shinto kami (gods or spirits).
There is also a theory that the term derives from the way in which cats that grow old shed the skin off their backs and hang downwards, making it appear that they have two tails. In Japan cats are often associated with death, and this particular spirit is often blamed.
According to the legend, the Demon Cat conspires to frighten unsuspecting people. Other times, the Demon Cat's appearance has been considered a prophecy of impending disaster or tragedy. The Demon Cat is also sometimes known as simply “D.C.”
Nekogami 猫神
Nekogami (Cat Gods) are cats that have been enshrined and worshipped by people. There are a number of cat shrines and temples in Japan like Imado Shrine, Gotokuji Temple, Kokage Shrine, and more. Why are cats worshipped as Gods in Japanese culture? They protect the house from mice.
A catgirl (猫娘, nekomusume) is a female kemonomimi character with feline traits, such as cat ears (猫耳, nekomimi), a cat tail, or other feline characteristics on an otherwise human body.
The Raiju's most common forms include the wolf, fox, weasel and cat. However, they are usually seen in the form of a white or blue wolf, since they are fierce and proud creatures.
Nekojita, 猫舌 (cat tongue)
The Japanese have a word for this and its nekojita (猫舌) or “cat's tongue.” While it might sound similar, this Japanese word has no relation to the English idiom “cat got your tongue.” It simply means food or a drink is too hot (not to be confused with too spicy) for you to eat.
Black cats have also been referred to as “fortune cats” in Japan as symbols of amulet and good luck for reasons such as “the night eye works”. There are five types: Daikichi, Nakakichi, Kokichi, Yoshi, and Sueyoshi, and black cats are written in a playful language after the cats.
Nekomata were creatures that lived deep in the mountains and would feed on humans. They were described to be the size of a big dog with piercing eyes and long sharp claws. There is fossil evidence of a prehistoric form of tiger having lived in ancient Japan, so maybe the mountain Nekomata is not a creature of legend.
The Lucky Cat, or welcoming cat, also known as maneki-neko, is a symbol that originated in Japan. In Japanese, maneki-neko means beckoning cat. The idea is that the cat is welcoming and greeting you. This lucky cat symbol is considered good luck to place in your home, office, or business.
Obakes are a class of supernatural creatures often featured in Japanese folklore. Originally taken from the word bakeru, which literally translates into 'thing that changes', they're often known as shapeshifters.
In Chinese mythology, the gods initially put cats in charge of the world after they created it and Li Shou was the leader of the cats. The gods gave cats the ability to talk so that they could better rule the other creatures. But the cats had other ideas. They lazed about in the sun, enjoying catnip and chasing mice.
Oni can be male or female, but have been predominantly male throughout history. Female oni are sometimes referred to by the name Yamauba. When in disguise, oni are capable of appearing as a man or woman, regardless of their gender. As monstrous as oni are, they have been linked to bringing good fortune and wealth.
Tanuki is one of Japan's two contributions to the archetypal Trickster, the other being kitsune, or the fox. Trickster is one of the world's oldest mythological figures, and examples abound in mythology and folklore worldwide.
In Japanese mythology and folklore, oni are large, ogre-like otherworldly creatures that are vicious and strong. They may cause disease, attack, kidnap, or even kill people. In Japan, malicious otherworldly creatures, like oni, ghosts, goblins, and spirits, are called yōkai.
In fact, the channel name, "Shiro Neko" means "white cat" in Japanese.
Wolf Neko: An isolationist species native to the wilderness of Kesia. A species tied to a goddess of Innocence and protectors of nature. They've slowly begun to open up to the rest of civilization but the past for the Wolves is mired in fear and isolation due to mistakes of the past.
In Japanese mythology, there are said to be 13 types of kitsune, which correspond to different elements—celestial, wind, spirit, darkness, fire, earth, river, ocean, forest, mountain, thunder, sound, and time. Broadly, they can also be broken into two groups—zenko, or good, and nogitsune, or bad.