The Most Popular Yokai, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the Yokai you think is the most popular!
Updated on May 8, 2024 06:55
Japanese folklore is a treasure trove of Yokai, each creature captivating with its own unique story and attributes. Understanding which Yokai holds the most fascination can offer insights into cultural priorities and historical values that resonate through generations. By ranking these enchanting beings, we can see which stories continue to capture hearts and minds today.
This rankings site lets users weigh in on their favorite Yokai, contributing to a dynamic ledger of popular opinion. Here, your votes determine which entities ascend in visibility and which ones are perhaps less compelling to the wider audience. It's your opportunity to influence how these traditional spirits and creatures are perceived and appreciated in contemporary contexts.
What Is the Most Popular Yokai?
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154votesA popular water spirit known for its mischievous behavior and love of cucumbers. It is often depicted as a humanoid creature with a turtle-like shell and a beak-like mouth.The Kappa is a mythological creature from Japanese folklore. It is often described as a water-dwelling creature, resembling a humanoid with the features of a turtle or a frog. It is known for its distinctive bowl-shaped indentation on the top of its head, which is believed to be filled with water and gives the Kappa its power and strength. The Kappa is known to be mischievous but can also be helpful if treated with respect.
- Physical Appearance: Half-human, half-turtle or frog
- Head Feature: Bowl-shaped indentation filled with water
- Habitat: Rivers, lakes, and other bodies of freshwater
- Strength: Derived from the water in its head
- Mischievous Behavior: Pranking and pulling tricks on humans
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241votesA fox spirit that is said to possess magical powers and the ability to shape-shift. It is often depicted as a beautiful woman or a mischievous fox.The Kitsune is a mythical creature from Japanese folklore, often referred to as a fox spirit. It is known for its shape-shifting abilities and intelligence. Kitsune are believed to possess magical powers and are closely associated with Inari, the Shinto deity of fertility, agriculture, and foxes. In Japanese culture, they are often characterized as mischievous but benevolent beings.
- Shape-shifting: Kitsune can transform into various forms including humans, animals, and objects.
- Number of Tails: Kitsune can have up to nine tails, with each tail symbolizing increased power and age.
- Intelligence: Kitsune are considered highly intelligent beings with knowledge and wisdom.
- Tricksters: They are known for their mischievous nature and love to play pranks on humans.
- Illusions: Kitsune have the ability to cast powerful illusions to deceive or confuse others.
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319votesA demon-like creature that is often depicted as a large, muscular humanoid with horns and a tail. It is known for its ferocity and is often associated with evil and mischief.The Oni is a type of mythical creature in Japanese mythology. It is often depicted as a demon or ogre-like being with fearsome features. They are widely believed to possess great strength and power, often portrayed as evil and malicious creatures that cause chaos and harm.
- Appearance: Oni are depicted with red or blue skin, wild hair, sharp claws, and two long horns on their heads.
- Size: Oni are generally larger and stronger than humans, often towering over them.
- Weapons: They are often shown carrying iron clubs called KanabÅ or large swords.
- Ability to Shape-shift: Oni are known to have the ability to change their appearance, often disguising themselves as humans or animals.
- Association with Natural Disasters: Oni are sometimes linked to natural disasters like earthquakes, storms, and fires.
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412votesA bird-like spirit known for its martial arts skills and its ability to fly. It is often depicted as a humanoid with wings and a long nose.The Tengu is a legendary creature from Japanese mythology that is often depicted as a humanoid with wings and a long nose. It is known for its mischievous nature and strong intelligence. Tengu is usually considered a protector of mountains and forests, skilled in martial arts and magic. Throughout Japanese folklore, it has been both feared and revered as a powerful entity with the ability to bring blessings or curses upon humans.
- Physical Appearance: Humanoid figure with wings and a long nose
- Intelligence: Considered highly intelligent and wise
- Mischievous Nature: Known for playing tricks and pranks on humans
- Protector of Mountains and Forests: Regarded as a guardian of natural landscapes
- Skilled in Martial Arts: Known for its exceptional fighting abilities
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511votesA snow spirit that is said to appear on snowy nights. It is often depicted as a beautiful woman with long white hair and a white kimono.Yuki-onna is a popular Yokai in Japanese folklore known as the 'Snow Woman.' She is often portrayed as a beautiful, ghostly apparition or spirit associated with winter and snow. Her presence is believed to bring both awe and fear.
- Appearance: Yuki-onna is described as a pale-skinned woman with long, flowing black hair. She wears a white kimono or robe and has an ethereal, otherworldly beauty.
- Snow Manipulation: Yuki-onna has the ability to control and manipulate snow, often using it to create blizzards or freezing environments.
- Ice Touch: When in close proximity, Yuki-onna's touch can cause extreme cold and frostbite.
- Vanishing Ability: Yuki-onna has the power to turn invisible or vanish into thin air, making her elusive and difficult to track or capture.
- Seductive Nature: Yuki-onna is known to appear before travelers lost in snowstorms, often luring them with her beauty before bringing them harm.
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613votesA cat spirit that is said to possess magical powers and the ability to shape-shift. It is often depicted as a large, demonic cat with two tails.Nekomata is a popular Yokai in Japanese folklore, known for its shape-shifting abilities and association with cats. It is believed to be a supernatural creature that evolves from a domestic cat with a long life span. Nekomatas have two tails and enlarged eyes, which give them a distinct appearance. They possess great intelligence and supernatural powers, including the ability to take a human-like form, speak human languages, and manipulate fire. This Yokai is usually portrayed as mischievous or vengeful, often using its powers to play pranks or seek revenge on those who have wronged cats.
- Origin: Japanese folklore
- Appearance: Cat with two tails and enlarged eyes
- Abilities: Shape-shifting, human-like form, language proficiency, fire manipulation
- Personality: Mischievous, vengeful
- Associations: Cats, longevity
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711votesA spider spirit that is said to be able to shape-shift into a beautiful woman. It is often depicted as a seductress who lures men to their doom.Jorogumo is a well-known Yokai from Japanese folklore. It is depicted as a shape-shifting creature with the ability to transform into a beautiful woman. However, its true form is that of a giant spider. Jorogumo is often associated with dark and deceitful intentions, luring unsuspecting victims into its web to devour them. Its name translates to 'prostitute spider' in English, emphasizing its seductive nature.
- Appearance: Can transform from a spider into a beautiful woman
- True Form: Giant spider
- Nature: Deceptive and cunning
- Behavior: Lures victims into its web to devour them
- Name Meaning: 'Prostitute spider' in English
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88votesA vengeful spirit that is said to appear as a beautiful woman with a mask covering her mouth. She is known for her love of children and her tendency to ask them if they think she is beautiful before revealing her disfigured mouth.Kuchisake-onna, also known as the Slit-Mouthed Woman, is a popular Yokai in Japanese folklore. She is portrayed as a vengeful and terrifying figure with a gruesome appearance. Kuchisake-onna is often depicted wearing a surgical mask and has a large, permanent smile that stretches from ear to ear. She is said to appear primarily at night, targeting unsuspecting victims, particularly children.
- Origin: Japanese folklore/urban legends
- Appearance: Wears a surgical mask, large permanent smile
- Name: Kuchisake-onna, Slit-Mouthed Woman
- Nature: Vengeful, terrifying
- Target: Unsuspecting victims, particularly children
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93votesA spirit that is said to have a neck that can stretch to extraordinary lengths. It is often depicted as a beautiful woman with a long, slender neck.Rokurokubi is a type of Japanese Yokai that appears as a normal human during the day but transforms into a supernatural creature at night. This Yokai is known for its ability to stretch its neck to incredible lengths, often reaching several meters. The name 'Rokurokubi' translates to 'long-necked woman' in Japanese.
- Appearance: Appears as a human during the day, but sprouts a long neck at night
- Neck Length: Can stretch its neck up to several meters long
- Movement: Moves its head independently from its body
- Haunting: Known to haunt and scare humans at night
- Origin: Origins can be traced back to Japanese folklore
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103votesA raccoon dog spirit that is known for its mischievous behavior and its ability to shape-shift. It is often depicted as a plump, jovial creature with a large belly and a mischievous grin.The Tanuki is a popular animal in Japan, also known as the Japanese raccoon dog. It is a small to medium-sized mammal native to East Asia. With its distinct features and folklore significance, the Tanuki holds a special place in Japanese culture.
- Scientific Name: Nyctereutes procyonoides
- Size: Approximately 55-70 cm in length, with a tail length of 13-18 cm
- Weight: Ranges from 4-10 kg
- Appearance: Tanuki have short legs, a pointed snout, and rounded ears. They have a thick, bushy tail and their fur is typically brown or grayish-brown with a coarse texture.
- Habitat: Tanuki are found in various habitats including forests, mountains, and rural areas throughout Japan.
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Ranking factors for popular Yokai
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Historical significanceThe Yokai's historical importance and cultural relevance in Japanese folklore.
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PopularityThe popularity of the Yokai in popular media such as anime, manga, and video games.
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Fear factorHow scary or frightening the Yokai is perceived to be.
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CreativityThe level of creativity and uniqueness of the Yokai's design and characteristics.
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ImpactThe impact that the Yokai has had on Japanese culture, and the influences it has had on other cultures.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular Yokai. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or Yokai is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 1926 views
- 157 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each Yokai once every 24 hours. The rank of each Yokai is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular yokai
Yokai are supernatural creatures from Japanese folklore that range from mischievous to malevolent. From shape-shifting foxes and cats to terrifying demons, yokai have been a part of Japanese culture for centuries. They have become a popular topic in modern media, with many anime and manga featuring yokai as characters. The popularity of yokai has also spread to other countries, with many people outside of Japan becoming fascinated by these mysterious creatures. With so many different types of yokai to choose from, it's no wonder that people love to debate which one is the most popular. At StrawPoll, we host thousands of polls and rankings on various topics, including which yokai is the most beloved by fans.
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