Explainer | From My Neighbour Totoro to Yokaipedia, Japanese ‘yokai’ movies and what you need to know about the mythological creatures

Takashi Yamazaki’s fantastical adventure Yokaipedia, which opens in Hong Kong cinemas this week, tells the story of three middle-schoolers from a small Japanese town who must do battle with a host of mythological creatures, known as yokai, to save their ailing classmate.

In the film, these otherworldly creatures take on a variety of different forms and wield unique powers, challenging the young protagonists to overcome them through a combination of intelligence and strength, with help from the eponymous magical tome of the title.

But what exactly are yokai, and how have they featured in Japanese cinema over the years?

Essentially, yokai are supernatural entities from Japanese folklore that have existed in myths and legends for as long as there have been stories to tell.

Similar to fairies, nymphs or sprites from Western mythology – rather than ghosts or demons – yokai are not inherently evil or dangerous, although different types can prove more malevolent or benevolent to humans depending on the circumstances.

Different yokai can assume different forms – ranging from animals such as foxes, cats or snakes to human shapes – or even resemble inanimate objects like lanterns or even tofu. In Yokaipedia, one of the spirits encountered takes the form of an enormous dragon, while another resembles an ordinary children’s climbing frame.