For anyone visiting Kyoto, here are some locations to excite your inner demons. Japan is recognized for its unique and refined brand of horror and suspense. So, it is no surprise to learn about the strong folktale tradition that helped form today’s spooky pop-culture.

Kappa were legendary creatures from Japan. They were always known as water creatures in folklore. Amphibious creatures similar to frogs or turtles; sometimes they are called Gataro (川太郎) or Kawako (川子) which means river child. Some people study them in cryptozoology since throughout Japanese history thousands of people have claimed to have seen one themselves.

Yasuko Mochitani, proprietress of the Sarugakyo Hotel, has been telling folktales for more than 35 years. Listening to one of her bilingual stories set in this beautiful area is a wonderful experience for the visitor.

Tsukimi is the Japanese festival of moon viewing. The word “Tsukimi” is from two words, “Tsuki”（月）, which means moon in Japanese and the word “mi”（見）,which means to view or to look in Japanese.

Step from high-rise urban suburbia into old Japan at Nihon Minkaen – Japan’s Open-Air Folk House Museum. Thatched buildings sit among the trees on the gentle hillsides, creating an image of a traditional village from rural Japan.

Yokai, literally meaning `bewitching monsters`, are traditional Japanese spirits or monsters which appear in old Japanese texts, some dating from long before the Edo period (1603-1868).