OK, so you’re walking down the street when a lady in a face mask approaches you. In a shrilly, tinny voice, she says “Watashi kirei?” Unsure of what she just asked, she repeats herself. “Am I beautiful?” Then she pulls down her mask to reveal a hideously smiling face.
Yokai are a huge, and recognizable, part of Japanese culture. From humble beginnings, supernatural explanations and regional ghost stories, yokai have transcended their roots as things that go bump in the night, and become one of the most prevalent denizens of modern Japan, represented in media, manga and even urban legends. Kowai takes a look into the origins of yokai culture, how they have come to represent Japan across the world, and have proudly shown their colors in Japanese media. Come by and check them out... if you have the courage to.