Terms of Use

The folklore is not ours. The writing and the art are.

The creatures described here are traditional Japanese folklore and belong to no one. The text of each entry and the illustrations are our own work and are protected by copyright.

Every illustration is an original piece made in a traditional woodblock style. We do not copy any modern artist’s design or any copyrighted character. Where a historical public-domain image is used instead, it is credited on the page.

What you may do

• Quote us. Short excerpts are welcome for reviews, articles, teaching, and research, with a credit and a link back.
• Link to us. Always fine, no permission needed.
• Ask about anything larger.Republishing whole entries, or using the illustrations, needs written permission — just email and ask.

Please do not scrape the site to republish it wholesale, or use the illustrations in your own products, without asking first.

Accuracy

Folklore is not a fixed text. Names, regions, and details vary between provinces, periods, and retellings, and scholars disagree. We work from primary sources and say where an account comes from, but we make no guarantee that any entry is complete or definitive. Nothing here is professional advice of any kind, and the site is provided as is, without warranties.

Affiliate links and advertising

Some outbound book links are affiliate links and may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. Advertising, where shown, is served by third parties. See the Privacy Policy for the cookies involved and how to opt out. We do not control and are not responsible for the content of external sites we link to.

Changes and contact

If these terms change we will update the date at the top of this page. Questions? Email info@yokailore.com.