Yokai and Japanese pop culture

Japanese yokai is different from ghost and monster. It is existence which brings fear to human beings. When strange phenomenon occurred, ancient people in Japan believed it was caused by yokai. They appear in specific place such as house, mountain, and shrine. Sometimes old things used by human for long time and Kami(spirit) who is not believed by people become yokai. 

Yokai was depicted in various old literature, and also drawn as pictures in the old days. Yokai often appears in Japanese history and is related with Japanese popular culture, and yokai is important to learn Japan. The way of drawing of yokai and representation of popular culture has not changed so much since the Edo period. It is because yokai was drawn in old picture book and board game, they were popular culture in those days, and today it is drawn in manga. Many of yokai is familiar to Japanese people. In this blog, I would like to show the portrayal of yokai in the distant past Japan and those in famous manga and anime today.