The books were written by Matt Alt and Hiroko Yoda, a husband and wife team who run AltJapan, a localization company that translates books, movies, and video games between Japanese and English. You might also recognize Matt from his contributions to Néojaponisme, including his taste-testing efforts on the Oh! Sake! series.

Their Attack! books are all about demons, ghosts, and monsters in Japan. Given all that, who better to talk to with for Halloween? I chatted with Matt and Hiroko about their new book, difference between ghosts in Japan and the west, haunted real estate, and more.

It’s a little ironic that you two have this reputation for writing books about the supernatural, considering you started out with Hello, Please!, a book about kawaii characters. How did you discover your mutual love of the supernatural?
Matt: It’s even more ironic when you consider my interest in Japan came mainly through robots! The Shogun Warriors, Mazinger Z, Chogokin, the Transformers, Macross, Evangelion . . . you name it. I even helped run a Japanese robot toy site called ToyboxDX for many years. I’ve always loved giant monsters like Godzilla too, though, and there’s some definite cross-over with supernatural monsters there. But I really owe my interest to Hiroko.

Hiroko: I’ve always loved yokai stories and ghost stories. Ever since I was a little girl, I loved them. So Yurei Attack! feels like something I’d always wanted to write.

Hello, Please! is all about anthropomorphic mascot characters. When we were writing it, we wanted to go deeper than just running a bunch of cute pictures for laughs. It’s so easy to pick things from Japan and say “oh isn’t this weird?” But we wanted to ask: “why? Why are there so many mascot characters in Japan?”

Japan isn’t like the West; we have a polytheistic, animistic belief system, not the monotheistic one of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Polytheism and animism fueled the concept of the yokai. Many yokai are anthropomorphic objects, everyday things with faces and arms and legs, just like many mascots are. So there was a natural connection.

The subtitle of your book is “The Japanese Ghost Survival Guide,” but yurei are a little different from ghosts in the way that we understand them in the west. What sets yurei apart?
Matt: The core concept is almost identical: the soul of a dead person who for whatever reason decides to stick around here instead of going to the hereafter. That much is the same. But you’re right in that the stereotypes of what Japanese consider a yurei are very different from what Westerners associate with ghosts.

In the West, the guy-under-a-sheet is for whatever reason the dominant image of a ghost. But in Japan, there’s a more specific array of characteristics: long, unkempt hair; dangling, limp hands; and most importantly, a lack of feet.

Hiroko: My impression, looking from outside the USA, is that ghosts in the West have more physicality to them. They’re “there,” flesh and muscle and bone, like you can almost touch them.

But ghosts are much more ambiguous here in Japan. I don’t feel like they have any “density,” it’s way more subtle than that. Like a wind that passes by and then disappears, leaving only a feeling behind. Japanese ghosts are almost poetic. That’s what attracts me to them. They tend not to be “in your face” like portrayals of Western ghosts. Well, the angry ones are in your face, I guess, but the point isn’t their presence — it’s the fear.

Matt, you mentioned in an interview that some realtors in Japan actually play up the history of wake-ari bukken, or “troubled homes.” How else are people in Japan today embracing yurei?
Matt: Yes, “wake-ari bukken”: real estate listings with problems. Most of the time realtors try to play things like suicides and murders down for obvious reasons, but they are required by law to disclose them. We found one or two places that play it up, openly disclosing that their listings have troubled histories and that you can save money by renting them — if you dare.

Hiroko: There are actually a whole list of problems that realtors are required by law to disclose, and one of them is the presence of an old, sealed-up well on the property. Kind of like The Ring!

I guess my timing for this interview is pretty bad — I’ve seen you two mention in several places that summer is the season for yurei in Japan. Are there any yurei that are active in the fall?
Hiroko: Summer is definitely ghost season in Japan. That’s when Obon, the festival of the dead, when people welcome the souls of their relatives back to visit. But when the lid of the underworld lifts off to let them out, lots of other creepy things slip out too. So they say.

But there’s no rule or anything. Just because summer is yurei season doesn’t mean they aren’t around at all during the other months. For instance, the Futon of Tottori is an old legend about a bed haunted by two children who died in the cold of winter, and that’s when they appear.

I really love the illustrations in Yurei Attack!, especially the giant, gory collage of hell. They’re all done by Shinkichi, a doujin artist. How did you end up working with Shinkichi?
Hiroko: Shinkichi is an old friend of ours. We met at an art exhibition dedicated to a yokai called the kappa. A bunch of our friends always contributed pieces of kappa-related art to the show and we were invited to join too. So that’s how we became friends.

Matt: She’s also a very active dojinshi artist and so I would visit her table at Comic Market and other places. She asked us to contribute to one of her comic compilations, and so there was this history of collaborating together. We have a lot of manga artist and anime industry people in our circle of friends, so these collaborations tend to happen pretty organically. Yokai Attack’s Morino-san and Ninja Attack’s Kondo-san were friends of ours long before we worked together.

This is probably an impossible question for you two to answer, but what yurei story is your favorite?
Hiroko: The one I have the most respect for is the tale of Oiwa, from the Horror of Yotsuya. The story is centuries old, but she’s just as well known and feared today as she was when she died. Both seriously, and as an inspiration for entertainment like horror movies (she’s a direct inspiration for Sadako, for example.) That is really amazing. You have to respect that kind of longevity.

Matt: Definitely — supernatural “mindshare!” For similar reasons I am fascinated by Masakado, the ghost of one of Japan’s first samurai. His head is buried in a little plot in the middle of downtown Tokyo that remains a shrine to this very day. Nobody will disturb it, even though it represents some of the most expensive real estate in the country, maybe even in the world. Nobody will disturb it because they fear and respect the curse of Masakado — and that’s really saying something in a country as advanced and scientifically oriented as Japan. So in a very real way, ancient ghosts do affect the way people go about their lives in the modern day too.

Are you working on any new books right now? What can we expect out of AltJapan in the future?
Matt: Actually, the books are sort of a hobby for us. We make our living in localization: producing the English versions of Japanese video games and manga. That’s our main gig. We translate, handle recording of voice actors, things like that. So you can expect to see a lot more translated games, comics, television shows, and things like that from us.

Hiroko: Over the last few years we’ve branched out into doing European languages as well. We’re working on several great titles for the PlayStation 3 right now that we can’t announce just yet but are really looking forward to being able to talk about in the next few months.

Is this the end of the Attack! series, or can we expect more supernatural beings attacking us?
Matt: Well I can tell you that we are prepping ebook versions of all three titles in the series, which is what we’re focusing on right now. They should be available in a few months.

Hiroko: We’d love to do more books in the series! We don’t have anything we can announce just yet, but we’re always looking for a new excuse to tangle with yokai, yurei, and other things!

You can find more from Hiroko and Matt on AltJapan.

Traditional Japanese Ghosts

Traditional Japanese beliefs state that every human being has a soul called a reikon (霊魂). After death, the reikon exits the body and enters a temporal stage where it waits for the living to perform final rites and funeral rituals for them. If these are completed properly, the reikon is satisfied and it can be at peace in death, leaving spiritual limbo and continuing on to the afterlife. This sort of reikon will become a spiritual protector of its family, looking down on its ancestors with favor.

However, if a person dies an unnatural, traumatic death, or if their final rites aren’t properly performed, the reikon becomes a yūrei and starts wreaking havoc on everyone’s sanity. The yūrei wallows in temporal space, forever yearning for whatever needs to be done for it to finally achieve peace in the afterlife. If the yūrei has strong enough emotional ties to the physical world however, it can return as a ghost. A scary ghost. One that’s sure to give you the heebie-jeebies.

These ghosts dwell on Earth, haunting its fleshy inhabitants. While all Japanese ghosts are referred to as yūrei, there are a handful of specific types differentiated mostly by the circumstances surrounding their death.

Onryō – 怨霊

Onryō are female ghosts who were abused or neglected by their lovers in life. These ghosts dwell in the physical world seeking vengeance on those who wronged them. Strangely enough though, they rarely do actual harm to the lovers who hurt them. They are also the most common type of ghost seen in Japanese horror films. In the case of onryō, the emotions tying them to the land of the living are usually hatred or sorrow- sometimes both. So if you’re in Japan, be sure to not piss off any ladies because they might come back as onryō and ruin your life.

Ubume – 産女

Women who die in childbirth or without providing for their children before death are classified as ubume. The power of their motherly love allows them to remain in the physical world to attempt to help the children they failed in life. Usually they come back to help their child in a time of need or leave gifts for them mysteriously. A mother’s duty is very important in Japan, and the stories of ubume are many.

Appearing in the form common to most Japanese ghosts, ubume are clad in robes of white, have long, unbound, disheveled hair, and are creepier than your perverted uncle Mike. Given their grim origins, the stories revolving around ubume are more sorrowful than those of onryō and focus mainly on the mother’s quest to ensure her child’s continued safety.

There’s no haunting to be had in these stories; the mother’s spirit directly interacts with her child after death, serving as a sort of guardian angel. However, in her providing for the child, the mother inadvertently leaves clues that otherworldly devices are at work. The most common sign are coins and gifts left for the child that turn into dead leaves after they’ve been discovered. Worst. Birthday. Ever.

Goryō – 御霊

Goryō are malicious, vengeful spirits – martyred in life and returning for revenge in the form of widespread death and destruction. Usually these spirits were those of the ruling class (the more powerful the person, the more powerful the spirit). Out of all the yūrei, goryō are undoubtedly the most dangerous. They can be incredibly powerful. They are capable of everything from destroying crops to evoking widespread natural disasters.

In medieval Japan, it was a common belief that one’s social status carried over with them into the spirit world so goryō were almost always spirits of the aristocracy. The more powerful someone was, the more likely they would return as a ghost capable of great destruction, so naturally respecting the dead was very important. On the other hand, if some jerk assassinates you for no good reason, it doesn’t really matter if there’s a shrine built in your honor because you’re going to be mighty peeved regardless.

Goryō are vengeance ghosts similar to onryō. However, their destructive ways didn’t necessarily end with the death of those who had wronged them. Only the super-cool-mountain-powered yamabushi could put these spirits to rest for good.

Funayūrei – 船幽霊

Funayūrei (ship ghosts) are the ghosts of those who died at sea. They approach seafaring vessels and ask for a bucket or a ladle. If they are given one of these they will deviously scoop water into the ship so efficiently that it will sink (so if you’re driving a big boat, you’ll probably have the time to get to land first, I think).

Funayūrei are usually not the end result of military conflict at sea, however (those who die in battle or on a battlefield are considered separate spirits all their own). Just about any sort of general drowning will do the trick here. They’re simply upset that they died, and now they want to take everyone down with them. Hey, you’d be bummed out too if you drowned in a big puddle.

Their ghost ship will linger by the coast, waiting for fishing vessels to victimize. As one passes by, the ghost crew cries for help in repairing their woefully sinking ship. But if the passing fisherman are nice enough to help out the spirits, they’re screwed. What sort of ghost punishes those who are kind to them? A lousy one.

If the funayūrei are given a bucket or a ladle they will immediately use it to fill the fishing vessel with water and kill all those on board, ultimately creating more funayūrei and ruining a perfectly good boat. Funayūrei sound like a bunch of jerks to me. I don’t like ‘em.

Funayūrei are believed to look human, however some are said to take on a scaly sea-like appearance much like those under Davy Jones’ command. So much for helping out your fellow man at sea, eh?

Zashiki-warashi – 座敷童

Zashiki-warashi are child ghosts who dwell in large, well maintained, fancy houses. They’re a squirrely bunch and really enjoy playing pranks on their fleshy housemates. However, seeing a zashiki-warashi or having one in your home is considered very lucky and can even bring fantastical fortunes.

These spirits usually appear as five or six year old children with bobbed hair and red faces. Zashiki-warashi are unique in the fact that they aren’t hell-bent on murdering everyone or seeking vengeance on those who wronged them. Instead, these ghosts just act like trouble-making kids. They’re brats, but at least they aren’t trying to drown you, right?

Once they’ve decided to haunt your home, they will demand your attention much like any bratty child would. If you choose to ignore the spirit, it will then begin to play increasingly devilish pranks on you until you acknowledge its presence. If you still don’t learn to love your forcibly adopted ghost-child, it will cry its little ghost eyes out and run away from home forever. Congratulations. You’ve failed as a ghost parent. When you die you’ll become an ubume for sure.

Despite their somewhat annoying nature, zashiki-warashi are considered lucky and are capable of bringing riches to those whose homes they inhabit. Should the family successfully adopt and care for the ghost child, they will be rewarded financially. But keep in mind, these kids are no angels. If you want those riches, you’re gonna have to work for ‘em, girl.

Additional Links

• Great post summing up the finer points of Japanese ghosts.
• Detailed post all about Japanese ghosts and ghost related things.
• List of Japan’s most haunted places!

Traditional Japanese Monsters

From the beginning of time, Japanese artwork and folklore has been littered with a baffling amount of unique goblins, ghouls, beasts, and demons. Known collectively as yōkai, these mythical monsters come in hundreds of recognized species complete with back stories, detailed strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, and favorite members of AKB48. A handful of the most famous and widely recognized yōkai are detailed below for your enjoyment.

Kappa – 河童

The kappa is easily one of the most famous creatures to come out of Japan. This angsty aquatic monster is a fusion of duck, frog, and turtle. By their powers combined, a kappa is born. A small pool of water atop the kappa’s head is its only means of functioning on land, and they have an unhealthy obsession with cucumbers. Why they like them so much I do not know.

Nowadays the kappa is loved by many and drawn up to be cute and marketable (even Hello Kitty has one among her diverse group of pals). In days past, however, the kappa was used by parents for psychological warfare against their children. Japanese tykes were warned that if they took a swim without adult supervision, a kappa would sneak up beneath them and suck out their insides through their anus like a hot bowl of ramen noodles. I’m serious. If you don’t believe me, just look at the above picture one more time. Go ahead. Look at it.

Tsukumo-gami – 付喪神

Tsukumo-gami is a yōkai subcategory comprised of inanimate objects that have sprung to life. Two of the most well-known tsukomo-gami are the Karakasa (umbrella ghost) and the Chochinobake (lantern ghost), but virtually any object is capable of transforming into a yōkai. The chances of this happening were said to increase with the object’s age, peaking around the 100 year mark. It was also essential that the object be somehow agitated. Most commonly this would be a result of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Just remember that the next time you think about throwing your XBOX controller across the room in frustration, k?

Kitsune – 狐

We talked about kitsune before in an earlier post (check it out!) so I won’t go into too much detail here.

Stories depict kitsune as intelligent beings possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. The most notable of these abilities is their adaptability to human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this skill to trick folks, other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers, and wives.

Foxes were a popular pet in ancient Japan and this gave rise to many a legend concerning them. Kitsune became closely associated with the Shinto spirit known as Inari, and served as its messengers. This role reinforced the fox’s already supernatural significance.

The more tails a kitsune has (up to nine) the older, wiser, and more powerful it is. Because of their potential power and influence, some people also make offerings to them as to a deity (much like weeaboos worship Naruto).

Tengu – 天狗

Tengu are incredibly popular supernatural creatures found in Japanese folklore, art, theater, and literature. They also continue to make appearances in present day media such as anime and movies. Tengu are one of the best known yōkai and are sometimes worshiped as Shinto kami. Although their name comes from a dog-like Chinese demon (Tiangou), the tengu were originally thought to be birdlike, and they are traditionally depicted with both human and avian characteristics.

The earliest tengu were pictured with beaks, but this feature has since modernized into an unnaturally long nose (did you know that Pinocchio is actually a tengu?!?!), which is undoubtedly their defining characteristic today.

Buddhist dogma long held that the tengu were disruptive demons who brought both violence and death. However, their image gradually softened into protective, if still dangerous, spirits of the mountains and forests. Tengu are also associated with the practice of Shugendō, and they are usually depicted in the distinctive garb of its followers, the yamabushi.

Enma Daiō – 閻魔大王

Enma Daiō is the Japanese lord of death. He’s so popular they even let him on a TV show called Dragon Ball Z. What more do you need to know?

Other Popular Demons Worth Checking Out

Nekomata (cat monster)

Here kitty kitty kitty~

Jorōgumo (lit. “whore spider”)

Yeah, she gets around.

Kubire-oni (strangler demon)

Another peeping Tom meets his end.

Rokurokubi (long-necked woman)

It is like, soooo hard to find clothes in my size you have like no idea.

Onmoraki (bird demon)

Fire! My only weakness!

Tenjo-sagari (ceiling dweller)

Ceiling cat would be pleased.

Baku (dream-eating chimera)

I’s in your dreams, eatin’ yo’ dreams.

Yamasei (mountain sprite)

Yama say whaaa?

Rashomon no oni (ogre of Rashomon Gate)

You shall not pass!

Waira (mountain-dwelling chimera)

gtfo my mountain, fool.

Japanese Monster Fun Facts!

1. Monsters are tied with robots as Japan’s #1 export! Cool!
2. Japan invented several full genres of monster-centric entertainment! Can you name them all?!
3. Some Japanese people are highly aroused by monsters! Are you!?

Additional Links

• The top 10 strangest Japanese monsters.
• Interesting post about the anatomy of some of the quirkier Japanese monsters.
• Some nifty pictures and short descriptions of Japanese ghosts and monsters.

Want to know how to survive a yōkai attack? Check out this book!

P.S. Think yūrei are way scarier than yōkai? Like us on Facebook.
P.P.S. Does the monster living under your bed look like one of these yōkai? Tell us about it on Twitter.

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Matt Alt from AltJapan sent me this book he and Hiroko Yoda wrote about Japanese monsters. He must have known of my infatuation (perhaps long-term romance is another word) with Godzilla and other monsters, so of course, I enjoyed going through it immensely.

The great thing about this book is the general feel of it. It’s the size of a normal Japanese book (which tend to be smaller and sexier), but it also reminds me of manga that you would find in Japan. Still, on the other hand, the inside is more like a book (though with tons of pictures). The illustrations are really great, and the content is a mix between “facts” and “stories,” which is something I dig as a blogger (separating out information into categories makes things easier to read!).

There’s a little over forty “Yokai” featured in this book, all consisting of a few pages each (including illustration) spanning five chapters (Ferocious Fiends, Gruesome Gourmets, Annoying Neighbors, The Sexy & Slimy, and The Whimps). The stories are for the most part really interesting (think “Japanese Monster History Lessons.” Why couldn’t we have that in school?), and even include funny bits like “favorite foods” and “surviving an encounter.”

At the end of the book there are also some “Yokai Resources,” which I got a kick out of, including this one, which is the “Strange Phenomenon and Yokai Legend Database” (You’ll need to read Japanese for this one, though).

Overall, this was a really fun and smooth read, especially with the awesome illustration. I suppose I only have one complaint about it, and I’m sure many of you can guess what it is. No Godzilla. That makes Godzilla (and me) very very sad Godzilla Pandas.

But besides that, it was an awesome book, and I found myself wishing I had lifesized posters of some of the monsters on my wall. It’s on Amazon, and it’s pretty cheap, so if you like Japanese Monsters (or have a significant other that does), go get it before the rest of your stocks flo

*update: Aww, so I suppose Godzilla isn’t a Yokai. Oops on that one. Godzilla > Yokai ;)