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Yokai - Animal Transformations

Many animals in Japanese mythology were thought to have magically powers and have become Yokai. Some of these were:-

Bakeneko or nekomata - When a cat is said to reach a certain age (13 years), a certain size and/or maintain a long tail the tail splits into two and said cat becomes a bakeneko. The bakeneko haunts the houses it lives in by means of creating ghostly fireballs, imitating humans or disturbing sleep. An unusual power of a nekomata is that it can reanimate a recently deceased corpse by jumping over it.
Inugami - An inugami (dog demon) is intentionally created in the hopes it will serve a master. If a dog is bound with food just out of its reach until it passes on and then the inugami spirit is fed, the inugami becomes obediant to its master - in theory. The master may set the inugami on others as it has the power to possess but in time most inugami turn on, possess or haunt their masters forcing the masters to take action. Getting rid of an inugami is a difficult thing to do and only powerful sorcerors are said to have been successful.
Kitsune - A wild fox demon who are known to do terrible mischief, to possess humans and to take their shape. It shape shifts by the stroking of its fire shooting tail. It is said the kitsune came by way China, originating from the idea of the 'Fox Fairy'. A person possessed by a kitsune is known as a kitsune-tsuki, said people have cravings for rice and red beans and find it impossible to sleep at night.
Tanuki - A raccoon-dog. It is mischievious and jolly. A well known trick of a tanuki is to disguise leaves as money to buy things such as sake or food.

Dous777	Latest page update: made by Dous777 , Feb 19 2009, 9:15 AM EST (about this update About This Update More to be added - Dous777 303 words added view changes - complete history)
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