
There will be ghosts! ・・・Is there a difference between “ghost”, “mononoke”, “ayakashi” and “ghost”?

I agree! ・You want to know the difference and history of ghosts, mononoke, ayakashi (youkai), and ghosts!

Yokai Watch, the half-man, half-fish monster “Amabie”, manga, the Internet, and more, there are so many “yokai” around us! But why do Japanese people love yokai so much?
I will answer these questions.
There will be ghosts! What is the difference between “Mononoke”, “Ayakashi” and “Ghost”? Japan, the land of ghosts
Scary ghost stories and ghosts are indispensable as a summer tradition in Japan. In Japan, “ghosts”, “yokai”, “mononoke”, and “ghosts” have appeared in history books and folk stories since ancient times, and their existence has been handed down. Its extraordinary world view and thrilling horror still fascinates and is loved by people today.
This article summarizes the differences and history of ghosts, yokai, and ghosts.
In addition, we will introduce representative ghosts and youkai. If you know this, ghost stories should feel more interesting.
・You can see the history of ghosts.
・You can see the half-man, half-fish monster “Amabie”.
A ghost has appeared! “What is a ghost?”
Obake is a general term for peculiar things such as ghosts and youkai.
It is said to be “something that has changed into something else that is very different from its original form.” And it seems that ghosts and youkai are also included in obake.
The “something” that transforms into a ghost can be an object or an animal, and examples that are easy to understand are the “mottainai ghost” that appears when you waste things and the ghostly cat.
That’s why when you come across something scary, you say, “There’s a ghost!”

Ghosts, youkai, and mononoke are all haunted!
A ghost has appeared! “What is an ayakashi (youkai)?”
\「真夏の夜の妖怪ツアー」✨/
【日時】7/20(水)・8/24(水)いずれも19:00〜20:00
【人数】各回40組限定 ※18歳以上
ガイドは妖怪の専門家・ライターとして活躍する村上健司さん!”逢魔が時”の六本木の夜景を眺めながら、特別な妖怪体験をあなたに…抽選申込は6/8(水)まで💡https://t.co/NNIcwd900p— 「水木しげるの妖怪 百鬼夜行展~お化けたちはこうして生まれた~」公式 (@mizuki_yokai_ex) May 26, 2022
A yokai is a non-human or animal disguised as something that appears in a specific place and threatens any opponent.
It is also called “Ayakashi” or “Mononoke”. It appears from a specific location and is said to intimidate anyone indiscriminately.
Umibozu is the sea, Kappa is the river, and Yamanba is the mountain. In addition, “mysterious phenomena beyond human comprehension and beings that cause them” are also called yokai.
By the way, the shikigami used by Onmyoji are also included in yokai.
Since ancient times, it has been believed that spirits reside in all natural objects. It is believed that natural disasters beyond the reach of humans have been explained by blaming supernatural beings.
By the way, unlike ghosts, yokai are said to be “alive”.
A ghost has appeared! What are ghosts?
ttps://twitter.com/Leon84518614/status/1529796617443741697 pic.twitter.com/3mmIoy7pwr
— 幽霊イラストまとめ (@yuureillustmat) May 26, 2022
A ghost is a “spirit of a dead person” or “a figure of a soul that has not been able to attain enlightenment.” It is said that the deceased, who have grudges and grudges against this world and are unable to attain peace, become ghosts and appear in front of people with whom they have a connection.
It also has the characteristic of appearing in front of people or places with a connection because it is not possible to go to the other world due to grudges or grudges in this world. By the way, when the grudge is resolved or the desire is fulfilled, it is said that it will disappear, that is, it will disappear.
I’m human by nature.
Famous ghosts include Oiwa-san from Yotsuya Kaidan and Kiku-san from Bancho Sarayashiki.
By the way, the “ghost employees” who sometimes exist in the company are not ghosts!
Conclusion: The Difference Between Obake, Mononoke, Ayakashi (Yokai), and Ghosts
A ghost is something that has changed. Including ghosts and yokai.
Ghosts are originally human. Dead.
Yokai are non-human things that have changed. alive.
A ghost has appeared! “History of Ayakashi (Yokai)”
Let’s look at the definition of yokai again.
Yokai = things that have changed from non-human animals or things
[Appearance location] Specific locations such as mountains, rivers, seas, roads, old mansions, etc.
It is said that yokai first appeared in the history books “Kojiki” and “Nihon Shoki” from the Nara period. Yamata no Orochi (a serpent monster) and demons had already appeared around this time. On the other hand, there are also cases where youkai are worshiped as gods.
Youkai superpower Japan
おはようございます。
昨夜、探索してて見つかったチラシです。
6期「ゲゲゲの鬼太郎」月間というのを聞いたので、懐かしいのを。
「鬼太郎新聞」#ゲゲゲの鬼太郎6期#ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 pic.twitter.com/bFTFS4eG1t
— HAYAKO (@009taichimamoru) May 31, 2022
No other country in the world has as many kinds of yokai as Japan.
We will introduce you to the traditional Japanese yokai, whose existence has been recognized by people since ancient times and which has many anecdotes. Among them, Oni, Kappa, and Tengu are known as “Japan’s three generations of yokai,” and are known to everyone as yokai that represent Japan.
<Example>
Tengu: They live in the mountains, create wind, and throw stones at people walking.
Kappa… lives in rivers and draws in people who try to cross the river, pulling out their shirikodama.
ひとつ下にアップした動画はもうご覧になりましたか?!先ほど突然の河童ちゃんの登場により鬼太郎茶屋にいらしていたお客様は大変ラッキーでしたね!カッパフェアより一足先にプチ撮影会と相成りました。#妖怪 #河童 pic.twitter.com/Ml8qAciN64
— 【公式】鬼太郎茶屋 (@kitarochaya) June 10, 2022
- Oni: An incarnation of a vengeful spirit, a man-eater, a keeper of hell, with a terrifying figure with horns on its head and fangs on its mouth, and a red or blue body with a metal club.
Nue: Nue has a monkey’s head, a raccoon dog’s body, tiger’s limbs, and a snake’s tail. Cries at night and brings misfortune
Nekomata: A monster cat with two tails. An incarnation of a long-lived cat, it is said to have magical powers.
Umbrella Ghost (Karagasa Kozou): An old umbrella ghost that doesn’t do anything particularly bad, just likes to surprise people.本日6月11日は、日本洋傘振興協議会が定めた「傘の日」です。妖怪資料の中には、さまざまな傘の妖怪をみることができます。こちらは掛軸、根付、かるたの傘の化物たち。おどけたしぐさや表情に愛らしさもみえます。
「昔噺妖怪図(部分)」「傘お化け根付」「おばけかるた」 #おうちで妖怪博物館 pic.twitter.com/wvWyyIja91
— 三次もののけミュージアム (@mononoke_museum) June 11, 2020
- Hitotsume-kozō: Lives in the mountains and fields, and surprises passers-by.
Kitsunebi: Mysterious fire that can be seen in mountain villages. It is said to come out of the fox’s mouth.
Konakijijii… lives in the mountains, cries with the voice of a baby, and if you hold it as an abandoned child, it becomes heavy like a stone and clings to you.
Azuki Washing: Lives in rivers, attracts attention by making the sound of washing azuki beans, and drops them into the river.
Umibōzu: They live in the sea, destroy ships, and kidnap ship owners.
Zashiki-warashi: They live in tatami rooms and storehouses, making noise and laughing. The god of the house that makes the house prosperous.
#あなたを妖怪で例えると…
【座敷わらし】👻自己表現大好き
👻愛嬌溢れる
👻傷つきやすい
👻基本的に優しい
https://t.co/mLbtBWbE9t
この手の妖怪診断座敷わらし多いな( ・∋・)— ホセ (@jose_desuyo) August 10, 2021
Half-man, half-fish monster “Amabie”
⬛️🟨ゲゲゲ忌2020ビジュアル公開🟨⬛️
今年のビジュアルにはアマビエが登場です!
アニメ「 #ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 」(5期)に登場したアマビエと、水木しげる先生が描いたアマビエがコラボしており、アマビエの絵を人に見せることでの疫病退散の願いが込められたビジュアルとなっています。 pic.twitter.com/Bj7WZcA4Hq— 映画鬼太郎誕生&悪魔くんアニメ公式 (@kitaroanime50th) October 17, 2020
Amabie, a half-man, half-fish monster that is said to quell epidemics, is popular.
Related goods have been created one after another all over the country, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has adopted it as a character calling for the prevention of new corona infections.
★シネマ神戸グッズ情報★
新商品!当館オリジナル!
【アクリルキーホルダー】販売!🎉
(ポストカード付☆)”いつも一緒にいたいビェ~!”☺
★アマビエちゃんバージョン
★当館ロゴバージョン
(税込500円)表裏に柄があり超素敵です!✨
ぜひ!お迎えくださいませ!🙏#アマビエ #シネマ戸 pic.twitter.com/3vcaBNXNHx— CinemaKOBE(シネマ神戸) (@CinemaKOBE) May 28, 2022
In mid-March 2020, Mizuki Production in Chofu City posted on Twitter the original black and white and color versions of Amabie drawn by Mr. Mizuki, saying, “I hope the modern epidemic will disappear.”
It became a buzz with over 100,000 retweets and over 240,000 “likes”.
過去絵。今さらアマビエ?と言われそうですがサル痘が怖いのでアマビエ様よろしく。でも江戸時代、天然痘より麻疹のほうが致死率高かったと知って驚愕。 pic.twitter.com/oqcc38h5ze
— 中村あや子 (@nakamuraponsuke) May 27, 2022
The half-man, half-fish monster “Amabie” is from the late Edo period tile block owned by the Kyoto University Library.
In 1846, something that glowed every night appeared in the sea of Higo Province (now Kumamoto Prefecture). “For six years from this year, the countries will have good harvests, but disease will also be prevalent. Show my copy to the people as soon as possible.” The tile plate tells us that he left such a prophecy and went into the sea.
Mr. Mizuki, who has drawn many youkai such as “Gegege no Kitaro” and “Nihon Yokai Encyclopedia”, uses this tile version to draw a half-man half-fish monster “Amabie”.
木彫りのアマビエ💕
2022.5.22 防府天満宮 pic.twitter.com/NPjA8lr634— 周防路快速 (@suojikaisoku) May 26, 2022
決定版 日本妖怪大全 妖怪・あの世・神様
A complete preservation version that is a must-have for youkai fans, with over 200 new monsters and gods added. * This book is a re-edited and renamed version of “Illustrated Japanese Yokai Encyclopedia” (published in June 1994 by Kodansha + α Bunko) and “Illustrated Japanese Yokai Daikan” (published in July 2007).
I would be happy if you could refer to it even a little.
Thank you for reading to the end.
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