Mount Takao, an hour west of Tokyo by train, is one of the city's favorite getaways. It also happens to be the stomping grounds of a yokai known as the Tengu -- mountain goblins from folklore. Don't believe me? Look at how many we spotted up there this weekend!
Tengu come in two distinct "species" -- the Karasu-, or Raven-Tengu, and the Hanadaka-, or Longnose Tengu. Check the faces and you'll see what I mean.
Don't know why the have long noses but damn! is it scary!
Posted by: The CronoLink | April 25, 2011 at 04:18 PM
Cool Tengu pictures!! I like them.
Posted by: Zvak12mi | April 25, 2011 at 04:35 PM
I don't actually know why Longnose Tengu have such long noses, but Hiroko points out that there are a lot of nose-related idioms in Japanese, like "hana ga takai" (having pride in oneself). I also wonder if the nose is a "translation" of the Karasu-Tengu's beak onto a human face. (Karasu-Tengu have a much longer history than the Longnose Tengu.) Nobody really knows!
Posted by: MattAlt | April 25, 2011 at 08:10 PM
The tengu all have beards, and wear those cute little hats (Japanese version of the Jewish kippah?).
I wonder if this skullcap is for the same purpose? Jewish men wear kippot (pl) as a physical acknowledgment that HaShem is always above us.
But even though the adepts and priests of the area have the same "uniforms", they don't have beards. Maybe beards are optional?
Posted by: TheBigRiceBowl | May 17, 2011 at 04:52 PM
And you missed the one on the train platform at Takao station!
Posted by: Jeff Lippold | June 10, 2011 at 03:23 PM