Ushi-oni(牛鬼)

The ushi-oni (牛鬼; literally "ox oni" or "ox demon"), also called gyūki, is a yōkai (supernatural creature or spirit) from the folklore of western Japan, particularly associated with coastal regions. Japanese folklore describes multiple varieties of ushi-oni with varying characteristics and behaviors, but the most common depiction features a fearsome monster with a bovine (ox or bull) head combined with a monstrous body, though the specific form of the body varies across different regional traditions—sometimes described as spider-like with multiple legs, sometimes more serpentine or aquatic in nature. Despite these variations in bodily form, the bovine head remains the creature's most consistent and recognizable feature across different accounts.

Ushi-oni are typically portrayed as malevolent and dangerous creatures that frequent beaches and coastal areas, emerging from the sea or lurking near the boundary between land and water. They are particularly threatening to solitary travelers or unsuspecting people who walk along these beaches, attacking without warning or provocation. The creature's association with liminal spaces—the boundary between sea and land, between the natural and supernatural—reflects common patterns in Japanese folklore where dangerous yōkai inhabit transitional zones. The ushi-oni's reputation as a coastal predator has made it a cautionary figure in the folklore of western Japan, warning people, especially children, to exercise caution when walking alone near the ocean and to respect the dangerous and unpredictable nature of coastal environments where the familiar world meets the mysterious and threatening realm of the sea.