Page 237 - FULL PLAYER EBOOK

Tennin- are believed to live in the Buddhist heaven Uwan does not physically exist and only consists of
as the companions to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. sound, it poses no physical danger. C
Legends also make certain that the Tennin, angelic, h a
creatures live on mountain peaks. Pilgrims some- p
times climb these mountains in order to meet the ho- -W- t e
ly spirits. r
Waira- A large beast that lurks in the mountains,
Tesso- A priest who was snubbed by the emperor about which little is known.
and became a swarm of rats which laid waste to a Wanyudo- is said to take the form of a burning ox-
rival temple.
cart wheel bearing the tormented face of a tyrant dai-
Tsukuyomi- is the moon god in Shinto. Tsukuyomi myo who, in life, was known for having his victims
was the second of the "three noble children" born drawn on the back of an oxcart. He is said to guard
when Izanagi-no-Mikoto, the god who created the the gates of Hell and to wander back and forth along
first land, Onogoro-shima, was cleansing himself of the road between this world and the underworld,
his sins while bathing himself after escaping the un- scaring townsfolk as he passes and stealing the souls
derworld and the clutches of his enraged dead wife, of anyone who gets too close in order to bring them
Izanami-no-Mikoto. Tsukuyomi was born when he to Hell with him.
washed out of Izanagi-no-Mikoto's right eye.

Tsurube-otoshi- is a creature that lurks in the tops of
trees and drops down on unsuspecting humans, and -Y-
has various descriptions - sometimes it is some sort Yadokai "derogatory term for Koya Hijiri"- are con-
of Oni or Tengu, sometimes it is a disembodied head, sidered to be a kind of supernatural creature, wander-
and sometimes it is a fireball. The tsurube-otoshi, ing at night, damaging property, injuring people or
instead of falling, drops a well-bucket to scoop up its kidnapping children. In life they served as itinerant
prey. traders, were well informed about life, and deceived
local people.

Yamabiko "echo"- are tree spirits and believed to
-U- answer when one calls out. They appear as small,

Umibozu "sea bonze"- is an enormous Yokai said to furry humanoid creatures often depicted in a sitting
live in the ocean and capsize the ship of anyone who position. They are found dwelling in mountains, val-
dares speak to it. The Umibozu is said to have a leys or caverns because this intensifies their echoes.
large, round head, resembling the shaven heads of They will always repeat the sounds of other noises
Buddhist monks. They are believed to be drowned such as those created by humans. Although they are
priests, and exhibit the shaven head and typically ap- often heard they are rarely ever seen. If anyone at-
pear to be praying. It is usually reported as having a tempts to touch one it will feel like their hand is go-
grey, cloud-like torso and serpentine limbs. If an- ing through molasses.
gered, they ask that the crews provide a barrel that it Yato-no-kami "gods of the night-sword"- are snake
proceeds to fill with sea water to drown them. To deities that lived in Namegata county. They were
avoid this disastrous fate, it is necessary to give him rumored to bring familial extermination on anyone
a bottomless barrel. who saw them.

Uwan- is a disembodied voice that inhabits old, Yosei "fairy"- is a spirits from Iwate Prefecture, it
abandoned temples and homes in the Aomori Prefec- was once feared that the yosei could bring the dead
ture Japan. When a person enters one of these build- back to life. It's also mentioned that the people of
ings, the formless Yokai shouts out an ear-piercing Mt. Horai and Ainu are small fairies that have no
"Uwan!" The voice is only audible to people inside knowledge of great evil, and so their hearts never
the building - those outside hear nothing. Since an grow old. The Kijimuna, tree sprites told in the Ryu-

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