things that go bump in the night

[pm215]

I recently stumbled upon an online database of traditional Japanese monsters. As well as the usual suspects (kitsune, tengu, tanuki) there are a lot of random odd ones; for instance:

• Suppon-no-yūrei, a ghost that haunts those who overindulge in eating turtle meat
• Nurarihyon, a spirit which doesn't so much haunt as nonchalantly walk into your house and smoke your tobacco and drink your tea
• Basan, a giant chicken that stalks the streets at night making rustling noises