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Kaibyo, Mamono, Yokai

Kasha the Ultimate Corpse Thief

Today is Friday the thirteenth. A day of misfortune and tragedy. In a time when the pandemic Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spreads rampant across the world. Similarly, today’s yokai, Kasha, infects Japanese people with fear and terror. It is the ultimate corpse thief. The demonic cat that robs funerals and bring the dead to hell.

Ancient oral tales, about hellish kasha, are passed down over many generations. Stories all across Japan tell of the feline yokai appearing suddenly with lightning and rain. And yet, it is engulfed by infernal flames. Pouncing from the sky, snatching up the sinful dead and returning to the nether side of hell.

Changing Forms

Interestingly enough, these stories does not really describe the kasha in great detail. Early Japan artists depict it as a great red oni pulling a fiery cart full of corpses. This illustration reminds me of wanyudo, aka the Soultaker, also an infernal being that terrorises the residents of Kyoto.

But more commonly, kasha is identified as a hellish yokai with cat-like features. A supernatural kaibyo who carries a rotting corpse across the roof tops. This is striking similar to nekomata, a ferocious feline yokai that have an affinity to the dying and the dead. In fact, some experts believe kasha is an evolved form of nekomata.

Also the Graverobber

When dark ominous clouds appear during a funeral procession, a kasha is bound to strike at the corpse of the wicked man. Together with fearsome winds, the great feline pounces at the coffin. Then it drags out the sinful dead and steals it away. Some tales, describe the kasha desecrating the corpse by tearing it into many pieces. Then it scatters the limbs all over the region, among tall trees, jagged rocks and cliff edges.

Alternatively, there are eye-witness accounts of the feline yokai digging into the grave of the sinful. It abducts the dead body and crushes the skull and bones without mercy. As such some graverobber activities are attributed to the kasha, especially those with missing corpses.

Rituals and Protection

Nonetheless, the dead can be protected from these infernal creatures. A venerable monk could say a holy prayer or sign his protective seal on the coffin. Additionally, at desperate times, he can throw his onenju (念珠) at the coffin providing an extra barrier against the kasha.

If there are no monks or rosaries nearby, just run away flinging your hands around animatedly. So that, the kasha do not mistake you for the dead corpse. Better the dead wicked man than you.

Yokai Details

name: kasha ( kah-sha )
kanji: 火車 ( かしゃ )
meaning: fire cart
abilities:
1. pyrokinesis — generate extreme heat and produce fire
2. weather control — incite dark storms and strong wind
3. flight — ability to fly (via weather control)

Henge, Kaibyo, Yokai

True Origin Of Catgirls, Neko-musume

Female characters with feline features are lovingly called nekomimi. They are a common part of the Japanese pop culture especially among otaku and cosplayers. But only a handful of them know the origins of catgirls originate and its relationship to another feline yokai, Neko-musume.

Neko-musume is a type of kaibyo that is quite different from the other cat-yokai counterparts such as the nekomata and bakeneko. She is usually described as a young girl with cat ears, and sometimes a feline tail.

Early documents about the neko-musume can be traced back to the misemono (見世物) of the 1700s. A Japanese sideshow carnival full of curiosities and oddities, mostly fakes and forgeries made by worksmiths. Around 1769, there is a show, in Asakusa district of Edo, that became very popular because it had a cat-girl as one of its exhibitor. Many who went and saw, swore that she was a genuine yokai with real feline features.

Human Connections

There are also many stories from the Edo period, of neko-musume that are of human parentage. They live with their parents and some even go to school. Neko-musume enjoy hunting for mice and rats, as such, she is seen as a benefit to the village and society.

So the next time you see a girl with cat ears, walking along the streets, maybe she’s not a cosplayer. Maybe, she’s a real yokai who can help you catch rodents and maybe even be a life-time companion.

Yokai Details

name: neko-musume (neh-koh-moo-soo-meh)
kanji: 猫娘 (ねこむすめ )
meaning: cat girl or daughter of cats
abilities
1. hyper senses — possess acute sense of smell and hearing
2. super agility — a very good sense of balance and body coordination
3. high metabolism — able to heal quickly from minor ailments and injuries

Kaibyo, Yokai

Calico Cat Protects Man From Harm And Misfortune

Did you notice the Japanese porcelain cat figurines at the entrance of of shops and restaurants? Or the lucky cat talisman that everyone seems to have attached to their mobiles or school bags? Well, these fortune charms are based of a real feline yokai that brings good luck and fortune to its owner.

The auspicious creature, maneki-neko, is very different from the other cat yokai such as Bakeneko and Nekomata. It proactively protects humans from harm and even brings them good fortune. Most recorded interactions are of individuals who who walks alone at night and was called away by a manekineko. This action evidently saved the individual from misfortunes such as robbers in wait and even lightning strikes.

Many believed that the maneki-neko originates from Kyoto, while some others claim that Osaka is their true origin. Also in capital city Tokyo, there are Imado Shrine (今戸神社) and Gōtoku-ji Temple (豪徳寺) which are, both, dedicated to the maneki-neko. No matter where the origin, one thing is for sure, the feline creature is a pretty recent yokai. Its existence began to surface in the early 17th century.

Nonetheless, maneki-neko is a benevolent creature that protects its owners. So if you are in need of good fortune, healthy lifestyle, better grades or even just true love, why not get yourself one of the luck cat talisman. It may just be the charm that you need.

Yokai Details

name: maneki-neko (mah-neh-kee-neh-koh)
kanji: 招き猫 (まねきねこ)
meaning: beckoning cat or inviting cat
abilities:
1. serendipity — able bring good luck and fortune to an individual

Henge, Kaibyo, Yokai

Local Cat Is Obsessed With Funeral Wakes

Have you ever been to a funeral wake and noticed the local cat slumbering nearby?And that same cat is seen near hospitals and cemeteries? You might have just met a supernatural kaibyo that loves the dying and the dead. Look carefully and you might just see that its two fiery tails.

Nekomata belongs to a group of yokai known as the kaibyo (怪猫), literally meaning strange cats. They are cat-like creatures such as bakeneko and neko-musume. Although, the nekomata has been documented in Kamakura-period manuscripts, centuries before other kaibyo.

Appearance

Kamakura nekomata are described as ferocious cat-like creatures that lived in the mountainous forests. Their size varies from a large dog to one big enough to carry a small child easily in its mouth. These nekomata have been known to attack and, even, hunt human.

There are many stories of feudal heroes saving villages who were under siege by laying these savage creatures. Some kaidan collections demonstrated the supernatural properties of the nekomata in its ability to shapeshift into human form and, even, fool the villagers.

Modern Ways

Unlike the aggressive nekomata of old, the contemporary version is more domesticated but not less magical. The “tame” nekomata is romanticized by Edo artists who drew them in flamboyant clothes and playing musical instruments such as the shamisen.

Such embellished portrayals have led many to mistake a bakeneko for a nekomata. Edo-period manuscripts described both to have evolved from an old and wizened cat . But, notably, one that evolved after it’s tail split into two is the nekomata. That is the chief distinction.

During the Edo period, the nekomata gains the power of necromancy, the ability to raise and control the dead. The same ability is described in another kaibyo called the kasha. Again, the one with two flaming tails is the nekomata. It is said to breathe the soul of the dying, or recently dead, as nourishment.

Conclusion

So next time you are in Japan and you see a cat by the road or on a wall. Before you go to pat the cat, please look around. Check if there is a cemetery behind the wall. See if it has two tails instead or one. Or just leave the cat be and you get live for another day.

Yokai Details

name: nekomata (neh-koh-mah-tah)
kanji: 猫又、猫股 (ねこまた)
meaning: cat again or forked cat
abilities:
1. metamorph — change into human form
2. sickness — cause an individual to get nekomata disease
3. super agility — able to effortlessly dodge any attacks
4. hyper senses — possess acute sense of smell and hearing
5. necromancy — able to raise the dead

Henge, Kaibyo, Yokai

Cat Caught Wearing Owner’s Panties!

You have no idea how many times I’ve heard (or even seen) of stories where cats have human-like behaviours, such as playing the piano and standing on their hind legs. Just type “cats” in your YouTube search and you’ll see thousands of videos about these human performances.

But what interests me is a story from Tokyo about a high schooler who claims to have caught her calico cat prancing about, wearing her blue-striped panties with a towel on its head. It is unmistakable that the feline is no ordinary cat. It is a yokai locally known as the Bakeneko.

Supernatural Creatures

Cats are naturally supernatural creatures. Did you not notice how they are always watching us and acting cute? They are quietly learning how to be less feline and more human. Cats, that age beyond its lifespan of 12-13 years, have been known evolve into a bakeneko. Once evolved, they gain preternatural powers such as bewitching and shape-shifting.

Inititally, they can morph into human form with feline features such as facial fur and whiskers for an hour or so. But over time, these uncanny powers grow stronger and lasts longer. Malevolent bakeneko has been documented to replace their owners permanently! Haven’t you wondered why that cat lady looks so much like her cats?

Forgotten Tales

I’ve read old stories of a great and ancient bakeneko that had lived in a family for many generations. When its true identity was discovered, it increased its size to that of a house and went on a rampage. It killed the whole household and everyone else in the village. It was finally brought down by the feudal lord’s retinue of samurai.

So, how do you know that the cat that is watching you now is not a bakeneko? The telltale, bakeneko has exceptionally long tail. Long ago, a grandmotherly figure told me, “The longer the tail, the older the bakeneko, the stronger its power.” Now, that you mention this, that wise woman does have a feline grace to her.

Yokai Details

name: bakeneko (bah-keh-neh-koh)
kanji: 化け猫 (ばけねこ)
meaning: changing cat or transforming cat
abilities:
1. metamorph — shape-shift into any human of any age
2. mass alteration — change its mass and size at will
3. tactile hypnosis — change the perception of anyone it touches
4. super agility — able to effortlessly dodge any attacks
5. hyper senses — possess acute sense of smell and hearing
6. longevity — able to prolong its natural lifespan