Ancient Period

关于此时代

710-1185

In ancient Japan, yokai were not specific monsters but "invisible, eerie presences." People attributed uncontrollable natural disasters, such as storms and plagues, to angry spirits or deities. This era's folklore is deeply rooted in animism—the belief that spirits inhabit all elements of nature. Yokai were seen as powerful forces that commanded both respect and fear. They represented the boundary between the human world and the untamed spiritual realm, serving as a way for people to categorize and honor the mysteries of the universe.