
Location File TUQ-0533
The Unknown Quest
Nue
Category: cryptid
File type: ghost
Spookiness: 3/5
Image credit: Fred Cherrygarden, CC BY-SA 4.0
File 01
Case Overview
What happened at Nue?
The Nue is a chimera-like yokai from Heian-period legend, described as having the head of a monkey, body of a tanuki, limbs of a tiger, and tail of a snake, whose eerie cry was said to bring illness and disaster. The most famous tale places it near the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, where it allegedly plagued Emperor Konoe until it was slain by the archer Minamoto no Yorimasa in the 12th century, after which its corpse was thrown into the Kamo River. Folklore says its restless spirit still manifests as strange cries and bad omens, and Osaka keeps the legend alive through named sites like Nuezuka (the “Nue mound”), believed to mark where its remains were buried.

From the Archive
Featured on the Youtube channel: Mythical Arcana (2025)- Nue: The Japanese Chimera | Yokai Explained | Japanese Mythology Explained | Japanese Folklore
File 03
Research & Visit
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