Microcosm

Sōjōbō 僧正坊 “High Priest” is the most famous daitengu, who lives on Mount Kurama in the northern part of Kyōto. While regular Tengu have more crow-like features, daitengu are often depicted as more human but still with their trademark long nose.

Tengu are often associated with a form of Buddhism, where within Kurama Temple and the high mountains, the Yamabushi train in their esoteric arts. Tengu are known to be masters of military tactics and swordsmanship, appearing in tales where they train some of Japan’s most renowned Samurai, such as Minamoto Yosh*tsune from the Tale of the Heike.

Kasha 火車 “Fire Cart” are a type of bake-neko “monster cat”. They stand tall over humans on their hind legs and are covered in Hellfire or lightning. They are said to steal away dead bodies, either delivering them to Hell, or simply eating or playing with them.

Kasha were once ordinary house cats who, in their aging wisdom, began to develop magical powers. Some turn into bake-neko, more powerful cats turn into neko-mata, and beyond that some turn into Kasha. Superstition has led to the practice of docking a cat’s tail short in order to prevent it from such transformations.