ABSTRACT
Baku is an imaginary animal in the folklore tradition ot the Japanese. It is a formidable animal, judging from its popular description as told by people ancestors. Japanese fishermen and boat crew are still very superstitious, and in prayer for their safe voyage and good fishing, they worship funadama, the deity guarding boats and crew. Hara-guroi points out dishonest or untrustworthy persons, because anything evil is thought to be black. Hitodama also appears in love stories as the soul of disappointed men or girls. Tales of persons mysteriously disappearing are heard all over the country, and they are generally called kami-kakushi. The Japanese have for long called the month of October kami-na-zuki or kan-na-zuki, meaning the kami-less month. Modern science may explain it as a certain mental disease, but it is still commonly called kitsune-tsuki in rural parts of the country.
