Comments on: The Most Monsters?

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:52:52 +0000

korollocke- It’s “yokai,” not “yokia,” and yes, there are certainly a lot of Fortean phenomena in Japan, no one could argue with that. I’m merely making the distinction between supernatural creatures- of which most yokai are freely admitted as being- and actual possible zoological phenomena of serious interest to cryptozoology. A good deal of the yokai are most certainly of the decidedly “ghost and goblins” variety, including many types of spirits and demons, and a majority of yokai lore is indeed seeped in superstition and magic, firmly rooted in folklore. Still interesting to be sure, but aside from a few, unlikely to be actual creatures.

I haven’t been to the Suicide Forest proper myself yet, but I have lived in Japan trudged through its backwaters, and studied its folklore, unique ecology, and cryptids for over 13 years now. I’ve spoken with countless people about yokai and other phenomena here, and I can honestly tell you that much of yokai lore is very fanciful and populated by ghosts, spirits, and demons. You might be surprised how many far out creatures and other entities there are here in Japan designated as yokai that fit in better with supernatural or paranormal phenomena than cryptozoology.

Contrary to popular belief, cryptozoology in Japan is not just all about the yokai. Many of the cryptids here are not yokai, and a good deal of the yokai are not cryptids. There is a distinction, although granted not always totally clear, between the supernatural entities and the creatures to be considered for serious cryptozoological study.

Anyway, it’s good to see you have an interest in this area!

As for Japan’s Bigfoot, it is called the Hibagon , and you can read the article I wrote on this very creature right here at Cryptomundo.

By: korollocke

korollocke — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:53:52 +0000

Go nosing around suicide mountain in Japan like I did, you’ll think yokia are very real, for whatever reason lots of people go there to end their journey. Japan has it’s own Bigfoot as well.

By: Andrew D. Gable

Andrew D. Gable — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:37:40 +0000

mystery_man is right: for every possibly real kappa or tzuchinoko, Japanese yokai have lovely stuff like the animated umbrellas or that sandal pom-pom thing.

I would argue Pennsylvania has a bunch (yeah, I’m biased living there) if you’re going by quasi-urban legend stuff. If not, well… not too much outside of thunderbirds, Bigfoot, and a few big snakes…

By: alcalde

alcalde — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:59:04 +0000

Joseph A. Citro is a fantastic compiler of New England’s folklore, mysteries, strange happenings and paranormal tales. He’s also released an “unconventional” travel guide to “eccentric” New England locations. Mr. Citro has also produced a few works of fiction, including “DEUS-X: The Reality Conspiracy”. I’m reading his “Green Mountain Ghosts, Ghouls & Unsolved Mysteries” right now, and heard nothing but good reviews of several books of his I haven’t read but have given as gifts. I don’t think anyone knows Vermont as well as Mr. Citro, so I’m sure this new book will contain many cryptozoological mysteries unknown to all but Loren Coleman and drawn from the most obscure Vermont folklore and historical accounts.

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:45:32 +0000

korollocke- I guess what I’m trying to say is that in Japan, “yokai” covers every boogie man and folkloric creature there is. Many of them are incredibly fanciful. So a lot of yokai are no more cryptids than the monster under the bed is. So while many Japanese cryptids are also considered “yokai,” not all yokai are cryptids or of particular interest to cryptozoology.

Then again, it looks like this Vermont book might cover creatures like that as well, so maybe Japan does win.

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:22:17 +0000

korollocke- If you include all of the yokai, even ones that have very little claim or credibility as real creatures, then yes, Japan wins. I was thinking of the ones that are actually considered to be possibly real. If we include all of the bizarre entities passed along throughout the ages over here in the Far East, regardless of their plausibility? Then Japan is somewhere near the top.

By: korollocke

korollocke — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:47:53 +0000

I would say the most monsters title would go to Japan, Have you checked out the new yokia field guide yet?

By: Dib

Dib — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:03:08 +0000

Maybe it’s most monsters per square mile? Or most monsters per inhabitant? I would buy that. Infact, I would be impressed.

Gotta get that book, though I live hundreds of miles away.

Dib

By: dogu4

dogu4 — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:16:02 +0000

Why Vermont? Why not New Hampshire or Pennsylvania? Why a state and not a geologic region such as “upper Hudson Valley” or “the Finger Lakes”? For that matter “why a duck, why not a chicken?”
Who knows, but the entire region’s undeniably long and convoluted natural and human history (much of it lost in time) certainly lends itself to fantastic speculation, and that’s good enough for me. Perhaps this will provoke a response from other regions in the US and around the world to delve more deeply into the mysterious nature of their own backyards with the goal of encountering (and surviving) the lovecraftian foundation stones of our past. It is waiting, and waiting…and waiting.
And, uh, what Mystery Man said…awsome illustration, fantastic tribute and something any oddly thatched pursuer (or pursuee) would find relevant and perhpas even totemic. Excelsior!

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:44:30 +0000

Wow, I was not aware that Vermont had so many strange creatures supposedly residing there. I don’t know if it can lay claim to the most in the States, but at over sixty bizarre creatures Vermont has Japan beat I’d have to say.

By the way, that illustration with Swamp Thing and the turtle. I want it. Either as a poster or a t-shirt, I want it.