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-K- "Kanashibari". Even though the Kijimuna are trick-
C sters, they have been known to make friends with
h Kamaitachi- is a trio of weasels with sharp claws, humans. However, these relationships often go sour.
a riding on a gust of wind and cutting people's skin on
p A Kijimuna may offer to carry a human on its back
t the legs. The first weasel knocked the unsuspecting
e as it leaps through the mountains and over the seas.
r victim down, the second cut the victim's flesh and the
third applied medication to the wounds, so that at the Kitsune- is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are in-
time the victim realized what was happening they telligent beings that possess magical abilities that
were left only with painful wounds that weren't increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among
bleeding. these is the ability to assume human form. Kitsune
employ the ability to trick others or can be faithful
Karura- is a Hindu-Buddhist divine creature with guardians, friends, lovers, and wives. The more tails
human torso and birdlike head.
a kitsune has-they may have as many as nine-the old-
Kappa "river-child"- are a yokai found in Japanese er, wiser, and more powerful it is. Because of their
folklore, and also a cryptid. Their name comes from potential power and influence, some people make
a mixture of the word "kawa" (river) and "wappo," an offerings to them as to a deity.
inflection of "waraba" (child). In Shinto they are con- Kiyohime- was the daughter (or in some versions,
sidered to be one of many water deity; one of their the widow) of a village headman or landlord named
temporary appearances. As water monsters, kappa Shoji, on the Hidaka riverbank. The family was
have been frequently blamed for drowning, and are wealthy enough to entertain and provide lodging for
often said to try to lure people to the water and pull traveling priests, who often passed by on their way to
them in with their great wrestling skill. They are a shrine famous for ascetic practices. One day, a
sometimes said to take their victims for the purpose handsome visiting priest named Anchin fell in love
of drinking their blood, eating their livers or gaining with a beautiful woman named Kiyohime, but after a
power by taking their shirikodama, a mythical ball time he overcame his passions and refrained from
said to contain their soul which is located inside the further meetings. Kiyohime became furious at the
anus. Kappa are also said to victimize animals, espe- sudden change of heart and pursued him in rage. The
cially horses and cows; the motif of the kappa trying priest and Kiyohime met at the edge of the Hidaka
to drown horses is found all over Japan.
River, where the priest asked a boatman to help him
Keukegen "fluffy hair appearance"- is a yokai that to cross the river, but told him not to let her cross
resembles a small dog covered entirely in long hair. with his boat. When Kiyohime saw that Anchin was
The Keukegen is a disease spirit which lives in damp, escaping her, she jumped into the river and started to
dark places and causes people in the house to get swim after him. While swimming in the torrent of the
sick. Hidaka River, she transformed into a large serpent
because of her rage.
Kijimuna- are small wood spirits creatures native to
the island of Okinawa. They are said to look around Kodama- is a spirit which is believed to live in cer-
three or four years old and covered in red hair said to tain trees. Kodama can be found in groups in the in-
live in trees, but the most common one is the banyan ner reaches of mountains. They occasionally speak,
tree. They are often described as being child-sized, and can especially be heard when a person dies. Cut-
with red hair covering their bodies and large heads. ting down a tree which houses a Kodama is thought
They are also known to be excellent fisherman, able to bring misfortune, and such trees are often marked
to catch many fish, but then only eating one of the with Shimenawa rope.
eyes of the fish before leaving the rest of it. The Ki- Komainu- are statue pairs of lion-like creatures ei-
jimuna are known to be very mischievous, playing ther guarding the entrance or the inner shrine of
pranks and tricking humans. One of their most well- many Japanese Shinto shrines or kept inside the inner
known tricks is to lie upon a person's chest, making shrine itself, where they are not visible to the public.
them unable to move or breathe. This is known as

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