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Obake
Japanese shapeshifting ghosts that followed immigrants to Hawaii. They can transform into anything—beautiful women, animals, or terrifying monsters. Some are harmless pranksters; others are deadly.
Ancient - Present
Japan and Hawaii
5000+ witnesses
Obake are shapeshifting supernatural beings from Japanese folklore, also important in Hawaiian-Japanese culture.
The Legend
According to documented folklore:
Obake:
- Are shapeshifting creatures
- Can take any form
- Include ghosts and monsters
- Range from harmless to deadly
- Important in Japanese culture
Types of Obake
Many categories exist:
- Yūrei: Traditional ghosts
- Yōkai: Monster spirits
- Bakemono: Transforming creatures
- Oni: Demons
- Each with unique traits
In Hawaii
Japanese immigrants brought beliefs:
- Merged with Hawaiian spirits
- Stories adapted to local settings
- Still reported today
- Part of local culture
- Unique Hawaiian-Japanese folklore
Common Forms
Obake often appear as:
- Beautiful women
- Old people
- Animals (foxes, cats)
- Household objects
- Faceless figures
Famous Types
Well-known obake:
- Kitsune (fox spirits)
- Tanuki (raccoon dogs)
- Noppera-bō (faceless ghost)
- Rokurokubi (stretching neck)
- Kappa (water creatures)
Behavior
Obake may:
- Play tricks on humans
- Seek revenge
- Guard locations
- Test human character
- Simply exist alongside us