Baku

Baku.

Baku are Japanese supernatural dream demons that devour dreams and nightmares. They have a long history in Japanese folklore and art.

Description

The creature has its origins in Ancient China, where it is described as a chimeral creature with the trunk of an Elephant, paws of a Tiger, eyes of a Rhino, and tail of an Ox. It was said it could protect against evils and pestilence, though there was no mention of it devouring dreams until after it was imported to Japan in the late 17th Century. 

Overview

Legend has it that a person who wakes up from a bad dream can call out to the Baku. A child having a nightmare in Japan will wake up and repeat three times “Baku-san, come eat my dream.” Legends say that the Baku will come into the child’s room and devour the bad dream, allowing the child to go back to sleep peacefully.

The Baku can also be summoned for protection from bad dreams prior to falling asleep at night. To this day, it remains common for Japanese children to keep a Baku talisman at their bedside. However, calling to the Baku must be done sparingly, because if he remains hungry after eating one’s nightmare, he may also devour their dreams, hopes and desires as well, leaving them to live an empty life.