Here follows a list of Creatures in Literature, found in Japanese literature, and any themes connected to their appearances.

See also:

• • List of Supernatural Creatures
  • Yōkai
  • Yūrei
  • Dragons

Birds

In addition to the specific tyes of birds listed below, it is said that a bird stops the creature known as the Amanojaku, from marrying a prince when the creatures tries to pretend they are Urikohime (The Melon Princess).

Creature	Notes	Image
Pheasant	We find the Pheasant as a helpful companion to Momotaro in the Folktale with the same name.
Sparrows	The Sparrow is depicted in the story The Tongue Cut Sparrow as a truthful kind of bird. The favourite haunts of these birds are said to be in bamboo groves.
Yatagarasu	The Yatagarasu is a legendary bird who is sent by Amaterasu to aid the first Emperor Jimmu.

Crustaceans

Creature	Notes	Image
Crabs	We see two crabs in the tale The Monkey and the Crab

Insects

Creature	Notes	Image
Seta (Centipede)	The Giant Centipede (which is also stated to be a Yōkai) is depicted as a murderer and evil creature, who every night will come and take some of the family of The Dragon King.
Spider's	The spider is seen in the Japanese Folktale The Shinansha and is credited as being the inspiration for Emperor Kotei to invent the first boat after seeing the spider float on a leaf across a river. In regards to superstitions it is said you should be sure to not kill a spider in the morning as it is the bringer of bad look and may be a messenger from Heaven. Conversely, a Spider at night may bring bad luck and can be killed, and may also be a messenger from Hell. There are several superatural creautres that look like spiders or have parts of a spider which make up their bodies such as the Ushioni, Jorōgumo and Tsuchigumo.

Mammals

Creature	Notes	Image
Badgers	Badgers are depicted in the story of Kachi-Kachi Yama as deceivers and generally evil creatures who will murder and can transform and take human form.
Dogs	We find the dog as a helpful companion to Momotaro in the Folktale with the same name. And we can also find one in the tale of Shippeitaro where the dog helps deal with a cat god who has been demanding human sacrifices.
Monkeys	We find the Monkey as a helpful companion to Momotaro in the Folktale with the same name. We can also find a monkey in the tale The Clever Boar and Monkey. Again one is seen in The Monkey and the Crab.
Rabbits	Rabbits in the Tale Kachi-Kachi Yama are portrayed as creatures which will aide in you seeking revenge for a past transgression.

Reptiles

Creature	Notes	Image
Tortoise	One is seen as an omen during the reign of Emperor Suinin.
Turtles	The Turtle appears in the tale Urashima Taro the Fisher Lad. However, the turtle is actually Otohime Sama, a Dragon, who can shape-shift into other creatures.

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• See also: List of Folktales

Kachi-Kachi Yama

Kachi-Kachi Yama (かちかち山) also known as The Farmer and the Badger is a Folktale about a Rabbit and a Badger.

Synopsis

There was an old farmer and his wife whose neighbour was a mischievous Badger, who would come into his land and ruin his farm. And so the old man tried waited night after night with a club but didn’t kill the Badger. He tried instead to lay a trap and one day found the Badger had been caught in a hole he had dug. He strung the badger up in their home telling his wife to watch the creature as tonight when he returned he would cook him for dinner.

The Badger, hung upside down wanted to escape and watching the old woman outside pounding barley offered to help her if she let him down. She refused. But the Badger then tricked her saying if she untied him, he would help her and she could tie him up again before her husband came home. Being innocent and trusting she untied the Badger. The creature then killed her with a pestle, cutting her up for soup. And upon the return of the husband took the form of his wife.

He waits for the old man to unknowingly eat his wife before turning back into his true form. And flees. Distraught the old man begins to cry when a good-natured Rabbit hears him and asks what is wrong. The old man tells the rabbit what has happened and says he will help him seek revenge.

The next day the Rabbit find the Badger, who invites him to join him and cut grass. He agrees, thinking the Rabbit his friend. Storing all the cut grass on their back take home for the winter, the Rabbit sets the grass on the Badgers back on fire.

Next the Rabbit says he will give him ointment for the burns, but he puts red pepper on his burns, causing the Badger agony. However, after a month, the burns of the Badger healed.

The Rabbit then talked about the delight of fishing on a fine day and the Badger wished to join him. The Rabbit agrees and goes home to build two boats for them. He builds a boat of wood for himself and a boat of clay for the Badger.

On the water, he proposed they have a race, the Badger agreeing. His clay boat begins to fall apart and he asks the Rabbit for help. The Rabbit says no, that he will avenge the murder of the old woman and so his hits the Badger with his or until he sinks with the ship. Killing him.

He returns to the old farmer with the news and the to of them lived happily together after that.¹

Footnotes

1. Ozaki, Y.T. (1903) “The Japanese Fairy Book” Westminster: Archibald Constable and Co. Ltd. .

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