Shapeshifters
Japan's best-loved yokai are the henge — animals and spirits that slip into human shape to trick, seduce, or serve. A fox grows tails and wisdom with age; a cat or a tanuki learns to walk as a person; and the oldest of them weave illusions no human eye can catch.
Tamamo-no-Mae
玉藻前A nine-tailed fox disguised as a beautiful court lady who bewitches an emperor.
cunning
Nekomata
猫又An old cat whose tail splits in two as it becomes a powerful yokai.
sinister
Bake-danuki
狸A jolly shapeshifting raccoon dog, rival prankster to the fox.
playful
Kitsunebi
狐火Mysterious floating fox-fires that lead travelers astray at night.
eerie
Kitsune
狐A shapeshifting fox spirit that gains tails and wisdom with age.
cunning
Bakeneko
化け猫A cat that gains supernatural powers with age and walks on two legs.
vengeful