Published on November 11, 2018
Baku
- The Nightmare Eater
- The Dream Eater
- Yumekui
Regions of expansion
Japan
People's Republic of China
Description
In Japanese folklore, supernatural beings devour dreams and nightmares. It is described as a chimera with the trunk of an elephant, the eyes of a rhinoceros, the tail of a bull and the paws of a tiger, protecting from evil and pestilence.
It comes from Chinese folklore and has been familiar to the Japanese since the Muromachi era (XIV-XV centuries).
According to popular belief, after waking up from heavy dreams, it was necessary to pronounce the spell three times: "Baku kurae!" — that is, "Baku, eat it!".
Despite their monstrous appearance, the Youkai of Baku are revered as powerful forces of good and as holy symbols of the defenders of humanity.
