Beautiful Japanese Landscapes

Here are some amazing pictures of Japan's extraordinary beauty!
Enjoy ^.^

What are Yokai and where did they come from?

Do you know what Yokai are? If you are an anime fan you have surely heard of them. But do you know their origins? Here's the answer :
Yokai's (also called "Mononoke" or "Ayakashi") oldest records date from the 1st century. It was in a book that came from China called "The Spectre (Yokai) was in the imperial court for a long time. The King asked Tui for the reason. He answered that there was a great anxiety and he gave a recommendation to empty the imperial room" (a long name isn't it)
There were a few other statements in Houki 8, in The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon as well as a statement by Murasaki Shikibu - "the Mononoke have become quite dreadful", in Koubo 3......
During the Edo period, some people began to question weather Yokai really existed - "It can be said that the so called Yokai in our society is a representation of our feelings that arise from fear" (by Masayoshi Kitao)
At that time books about Ayakashi became very popular and even shops called Kashi-Hon opened. Japanese people became very interested, especially when the Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai became popular. Many new Yokai appeared because there was a demand for the story tellers to tell about Yokai that were not yet known to society, there were cases where individuals invented new Yokai (Kasa-Obake, Toku Kozo...).
Mononoke were frequently depicted in ukiyo-e that famous artists like Utsugawa Kuniyoshi, Kawanabe Kyosai, Katsushiga Hokusai... drew.

Here are some famous Yokai (I do not own these pictures/Paintings/Drawings) :

Tengu

Kappa

Kutsune

Umibozu

Ho-o

Yuki Onna

Yurei

Komainu

Do you Guys have a favorite Yokai?

You can leave a comment below.

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- Aoi chan ( ^ . ^ )/ ~