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[[Category: | [[Category:Deities, Spirits, and Mythic Beings]] | ||
{{nihongo|'''Obake'''|お化け}} and {{nihongo|'''bakemono'''|化け物}} are a class of yōkai, preternatural creatures in Japanese folklore. Literally, the terms mean ''a thing that changes'', referring to a state of transformation or shapeshifting. | |||
{{nihongo|'''Obake'''|お化け}} and {{nihongo|'''bakemono'''|化け物}} | |||
These words are often translated as ''ghost'', but primarily they refer to living things or supernatural beings who have taken on a temporary transformation, and these ''bakemono'' are distinct from the spirits of the dead.<ref>Mayer p. 89</ref> However, as a secondary usage, the term ''obake'' can be a synonym for ''yūrei'', the ghost of a deceased human being.<ref>''Daijirin'' and ''Daijisen'' definitions of ''obake''.</ref> | These words are often translated as ''ghost'', but primarily they refer to living things or supernatural beings who have taken on a temporary transformation, and these ''bakemono'' are distinct from the spirits of the dead.<ref>Mayer p. 89</ref> However, as a secondary usage, the term ''obake'' can be a synonym for ''yūrei'', the ghost of a deceased human being.<ref>''Daijirin'' and ''Daijisen'' definitions of ''obake''.</ref> | ||
A ''bakemono's'' true form may be an animal | A ''bakemono's'' true form may be an animal such as a fox (''[[kitsune]]''), a raccoon dog (''[[tanuki]]''), a badger (''mujina''), a transforming cat (''[[bakeneko]]''), the spirit of a plant—such as a ''kodama'', or an inanimate object which may possess a soul in Shinto and other animistic traditions. ''Obake'' derived from household objects are often called ''tsukumogami''. | ||
A ''bakemono'' usually either disguises itself as a human or appears in a strange or terrifying form such as a ''hitotsume-kozō'', an ''ōnyūdō'', or a ''noppera-bō''. In common usage, any bizarre apparition can be referred to as a ''bakemono'' or an ''obake'' whether or not it is believed to have some other form, making the terms roughly synonymous with ''yōkai''.<ref>''Daijirin'' and ''Daijisen'' dictionary definitions.</ref> | A ''bakemono'' usually either disguises itself as a human or appears in a strange or terrifying form such as a ''hitotsume-kozō'', an ''ōnyūdō'', or a ''noppera-bō''. In common usage, any bizarre apparition can be referred to as a ''bakemono'' or an ''obake'' whether or not it is believed to have some other form, making the terms roughly synonymous with ''yōkai''.<ref>''Daijirin'' and ''Daijisen'' dictionary definitions.</ref> | ||
==In Hawaii== | ==In Hawaii== | ||
Due to the influence of a sizable Japanese immigrant population on the islands of Hawaii, the term ''obake'' has found its way into the Hawaiian Pidgin vocabulary of the | Due to the influence of a sizable Japanese immigrant population on the islands of Hawaii, the term ''obake'' has found its way into the Hawaiian Pidgin|pidgin vocabulary of the local people. Some Japanese stories concerning these creatures have found their way into local culture in Hawaii: numerous sightings of ''kappa'' have been reported on the islands, and the Japanese faceless ghosts called ''noppera-bō'' have also become well known in Hawaii under the name ''mujina''. This name confusion seems to have stemmed from a story by Lafcadio Hearn titled "Mujina", a story about a badger (mujina) which takes the form of a noppera-bō, rather than being one itself, which first introduced the faceless ghost to the Western world. | ||
Hawaiian folklorist Glen Grant was known for his ''Obake Files'', a series of reports he developed about supernatural incidents in Hawaii. The grand bulk of these incidents and reports were of Japanese origin or concerned obake.<ref>Grant</ref> | |||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
* | *{{cite journal| last = Mayer| first = Fanny Hagin|date=March 1974| title = Religious Concepts in the Japanese Folktale| journal = Japanese Journal of Religious Studies| volume = 1| issue = 1| pages = 73–101| url = http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/jjrs/pdf/3.pdf|format=PDF}} | ||
*Grant | * {{cite book| last = Grant| first = Glen|author2=Ross Yamanaka| title = Obake: Ghost Stories in Hawaii|date=May 1994| publisher = Mutual Pub Co| location = Honolulu| isbn = 1-56647-320-9}} | ||
Definitions from two major Japanese dictionaries: | Definitions from two major Japanese dictionaries: | ||
* | *{{cite web| url = http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E5%8C%96%E3%81%91%E7%89%A9&stype=0&dtype=0| title = Daijisen: Bakemono| accessdate = 2007-01-01| work = Yahoo! Japan Jisho| language = Japanese}} | ||
* | *{{cite web| url = http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?p=%E5%8C%96%E3%81%91%E7%89%A9&enc=UTF-8&stype=0&dtype=0&dname=0ss| title = Daijirin: Bakemono| accessdate = 2007-01-01| work = Yahoo! Japan Jisho| language = Japanese}} | ||
* | *{{cite web| url = http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%8A%E3%81%B0%E3%81%91&stype=0&dtype=0| title = Daijisen: Obake| accessdate = 2007-01-01| work = Yahoo! Japan Jisho| language = Japanese}} | ||
* | *{{cite web| url = http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?p=%E3%81%8A%E3%81%B0%E3%81%91&enc=UTF-8&stype=0&dtype=0&dname=0ss| title = Daijirin: Obake| accessdate = 2007-01-01| work = Yahoo! Japan Jisho| language = Japanese}} | ||
==External | ==External Links== | ||
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obake The original source of this article at Wikipedia] | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obake The original source of this article at Wikipedia] | ||
*[http://www.mangajin.com/mangajin/samplemj/ghosts/ghosts.htm "Japanese Ghosts" by Tim Screech in ''Mangajin'' no. 40] | * [http://www.mangajin.com/mangajin/samplemj/ghosts/ghosts.htm "Japanese Ghosts" by Tim Screech in ''Mangajin'' no. 40] | ||
*[http://www.obakemono.com/ "The Obakemono Project"], a detailed and illustrated database of obakemono | * [http://www.obakemono.com/ "The Obakemono Project"], a detailed and illustrated database of obakemono | ||
*[http://www.seekjapan.jp/article-2/766/Tales+of+Ghostly+Japan Tales of Ghostly Japan] | * [http://www.seekjapan.jp/article-2/766/Tales+of+Ghostly+Japan Tales of Ghostly Japan] | ||
Latest revision as of 10:39, 20 October 2014
Obake (お化け) and bakemono (化け物) are a class of yōkai, preternatural creatures in Japanese folklore. Literally, the terms mean a thing that changes, referring to a state of transformation or shapeshifting.
These words are often translated as ghost, but primarily they refer to living things or supernatural beings who have taken on a temporary transformation, and these bakemono are distinct from the spirits of the dead.[1] However, as a secondary usage, the term obake can be a synonym for yūrei, the ghost of a deceased human being.[2]
A bakemono's true form may be an animal such as a fox (kitsune), a raccoon dog (tanuki), a badger (mujina), a transforming cat (bakeneko), the spirit of a plant—such as a kodama, or an inanimate object which may possess a soul in Shinto and other animistic traditions. Obake derived from household objects are often called tsukumogami.
A bakemono usually either disguises itself as a human or appears in a strange or terrifying form such as a hitotsume-kozō, an ōnyūdō, or a noppera-bō. In common usage, any bizarre apparition can be referred to as a bakemono or an obake whether or not it is believed to have some other form, making the terms roughly synonymous with yōkai.[3]
In Hawaii
Due to the influence of a sizable Japanese immigrant population on the islands of Hawaii, the term obake has found its way into the Hawaiian Pidgin|pidgin vocabulary of the local people. Some Japanese stories concerning these creatures have found their way into local culture in Hawaii: numerous sightings of kappa have been reported on the islands, and the Japanese faceless ghosts called noppera-bō have also become well known in Hawaii under the name mujina. This name confusion seems to have stemmed from a story by Lafcadio Hearn titled "Mujina", a story about a badger (mujina) which takes the form of a noppera-bō, rather than being one itself, which first introduced the faceless ghost to the Western world.
Hawaiian folklorist Glen Grant was known for his Obake Files, a series of reports he developed about supernatural incidents in Hawaii. The grand bulk of these incidents and reports were of Japanese origin or concerned obake.[4]
Notes
References
- Mayer, Fanny Hagin (March 1974). "Religious Concepts in the Japanese Folktale" (PDF). Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 1 (1): 73–101.
- Grant, Glen (May 1994). Obake: Ghost Stories in Hawaii. Honolulu: Mutual Pub Co.
Definitions from two major Japanese dictionaries:
- "Daijisen: Bakemono" (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan Jisho. http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E5%8C%96%E3%81%91%E7%89%A9&stype=0&dtype=0. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
- "Daijirin: Bakemono" (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan Jisho. http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?p=%E5%8C%96%E3%81%91%E7%89%A9&enc=UTF-8&stype=0&dtype=0&dname=0ss. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
- "Daijisen: Obake" (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan Jisho. http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E3%81%8A%E3%81%B0%E3%81%91&stype=0&dtype=0. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
- "Daijirin: Obake" (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan Jisho. http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?p=%E3%81%8A%E3%81%B0%E3%81%91&enc=UTF-8&stype=0&dtype=0&dname=0ss. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
External Links
- The original source of this article at Wikipedia
- "Japanese Ghosts" by Tim Screech in Mangajin no. 40
- "The Obakemono Project", a detailed and illustrated database of obakemono
- Tales of Ghostly Japan