The Bake-kujira (Japanese: 化鯨, ghost whale)[a] is a mythical Japanese yōkai (ghost, phantom, or strange apparition) from western Japan. It is described as being a skeleton whale that is accompanied by unknown fish and weird birds.[1][2] It takes its revenge against people who hunt whales or eat whale meat,[1][3] and does so by cursing them with plagues and fire.[4] It is also known as Hone Kujira (骨鯨, bone whale).[5]

Legends

In one story, a fisherman tries to catch it with his harpoon but the harpoon sailed right through it and the Bake-kujira floated away. In other stories people say that the Bake-kujira brings a curse and general misfortune to the area where it is spotted.[citation needed]

In popular culture

References

Notes

  1. ^ It can also be written as Bakekujira or Bake Kujira.

Citations

  1. ^ a b Bane, Theresa (2016-03-09). Encyclopedia of Spirits and Ghosts in World Mythology. McFarland. p. 29. ISBN 978-1-4766-2339-9.
  2. ^ McElroy, D. R. (2020). Superstitions: a handbook of folklore, myths, and legends from around the world. New York, NY: Wellfleet Press. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-57715-191-3.
  3. ^ Roberts, Jeremy (2010). Japanese mythology A to Z (2nd ed.). New York: Chelsea House Publishers. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-60413-435-3.
  4. ^ Howerton, Alex (2021-04-07). "Toward a Poetics of Allyship: Rajiv Mohabir's Radical, Animal Coolitude". MELUS. 46 (1): 8. doi:10.1093/melus/mlaa063. ISSN 0163-755X.
  5. ^ Mizuki, Shigeru (1994). 水木しげるの世界幻獣事典 (in Japanese). The Asahi Shimbun. pp. 134–135. ISBN 978-4-02-258572-1.
  6. ^ "SMITE New God is Bake Kujira, the Whale Yokai". estnn.com. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2023-12-05.

External links

Japanese folklore
Categories