Which Yokai did I pick? Why? 

I chose the Kuzuryu Yokai because I have always been interested in dinosaurs, dragons and mythical creatures since I was 7. So, this was the perfect Yokai to learn and discover about. 

Name some characteristics and provide a background history/summary on your Yokai. 

The kurzuryu is a 9 headed dragon that is described differently depending on where u are. The Kurzuryu was first found when a monk named Gakumon starting living in mount Togakushi. After chanting the lotus sutra, the Kuzuryu appeared before him. The dragon tells him that he was a steward of a nearby temple but turned into a dragon because he stole the donations to the temple. After listening to Gakumon’s recitations, he was enlightened and vowed to remain in the cave and protect the area. After Gakumon blocked the cave entrance with a boulder. After the dragon blessed the land with rain and water. 

 
Do you think Japanese Yokai differ from Western monsters and mythical creatures? Explain. 

I think that Japanese Yokai differ from Western monsters because Yokai have a wide range of attitude towards humans whether its friendly, helpful or mischievous. But with Western monsters, their behavior towards humans is commonly threats to humans. Another difference is Yokai comes from folklore, cultural and historical context. While Western monsters usually root from mythologies.  

Do you believe in Yokai, monsters, ghosts, or mythical creatures? Why or why not? 

I don’t believe in mythical creatures, but I believe that they roamed the earth at one point in time because of lots of unexplained traces that they could of have been on earth. There are also many stories and myths in my ethical background of mythical creatures existing a long time ago and even now.