A fox that split its tail into nine became a peerless beauty, and at last a stone that takes the lives of all who draw near. A single lineage traced by a fox-spirit from China through its incarnations and rebirths.
Explore the yokai of "The Incarnations of Tamamo-no-Mae" through curated collections.
Tales of the Fox
Among Japan’s yokai, the fox—kitsune—stands out for its allure and presence. Tricksters that bewitch humans, shapeshifters both beautiful and uncanny, and sacred messengers of the divine, foxes have long fired the human imagination. In this collection, Tales of the Fox, we range from great yokai like the Nine-Tailed Fox and Tamamo-no-Mae to small, local traditions, and even odd fox offshoots born from branching lore. Through stories of foxes both fearsome and endearing, discover the enduring appeal of yokai woven through Japanese culture.
Beautiful Yokai
Japanese yokai are not merely eerie or terrifying. At times they appear in forms so breathtakingly beautiful that they have captivated—and unsettled—people for centuries. The Snow Woman, with translucent skin and an icy, chilling allure; Tamamo-no-Mae, the legendary nine-tailed fox whose peerless beauty ensnared rulers and shook a nation; and women who, through profound love and resentment, were transformed into tragic ayakashi. Their beauty is more than skin-deep: behind it lie sorrow, passion, and the ever-present shadow of death and fear—elements that render them all the more mysterious and seductive. In this collection, we present a carefully curated selection of “beautiful yokai” drawn from folklore and classical picture scrolls—beings that steal the breath away. Step into a world of Japanese fantasy where terror and fascination intersect, and savor their rare beauty alongside the dramatic tales they left behind.
Cool Yokai | Japanese Folklore through Power, Speed, and Monstrous Beauty
The "coolness" of yokai isn't determined solely by combat strength. From the overwhelming presence of Shuten-doji and Ushi-oni, the blazing speed of the Tengu and Kamaitachi, the sheer divinity of the Suzaku and Byakko, to the daring designs of Seto-taisho and Nise-kisha—the reasons they captivate us vary widely. In this collection, we explore the charm that lies beyond fear by examining their appearances and stories left in legends, folktales, and classical yokai art.
