Baku (spirit)

Baku (spirit)

Baku (獏 or 貘?) are Japanese supernatural beings that devour dreams and nightmares. They have a long history in Japanese folklore and art, and more recently have appeared in Japanese anime and manga (see examples cited below).

The Japanese term baku has two current meanings, referring to both the traditional dream-devouring creature and to the zoological tapir (e.g., the Malayan tapir). In recent years, there have been changes in how the baku is depicted.