The Dance of Bakeneko: Unveiling Japan’s Supernatural Feline
Introduction
In the shadowed corners of Japanese folklore, beneath the soft glow of paper lanterns, the domestic cat is not always what it seems. While modern Japan is famous for its ‘kawaii’ (cute) cat culture—think Hello Kitty or the beckoning Maneki-neko—there exists a darker, more mischievous counterpart in the annals of history: the Bakeneko (changing cat). Among the many tales of these spectral felines, the “Dance of the Bakeneko” stands out as a surreal imagery of animals mimicking human revelry. For the cultural traveler, understanding this phenomenon opens a window into the Japanese psyche, where the line between the mundane and the magical is famously thin.
Origins of the Shapeshifter
The Bakeneko is a type of yokai (supernatural monster or spirit) that has permeated Japanese culture since the Edo period (1603–1867). But why cats? In pre-modern Japan, cats were allowed to roam freely to catch mice, often living long lives. The folklore suggests that when a cat reaches a certain age, weight, or if its tail grows too long, it transforms into a Bakeneko. Sometimes, the tail splits in two, evolving the creature into a Nekomata, a more malevolent cousin.
One practical theory for the origin of the “dancing” cat legend comes from the oil lamps used in old Japanese homes. These lamps were fueled by fish oil. Hungry cats would often stand on their hind legs to lick the oil from the lamps. As they did so, the flickering light would cast enormous, dancing shadows of the standing cats against the shoji screens, terrifying the humans who witnessed the distorted silhouettes.
The Legend of the Dancing Cats
The specific imagery of the Bakeneko no Odori (Dance of the Bakeneko) is a favorite subject in ukiyo-e woodblock prints. The legends often describe a traveler or a homeowner waking up in the dead of night to strange sounds. Peeking through a crack in the door, they witness a surreal sight: their cats, along with neighborhood strays, standing on their hind legs.
In these stories, the cats are often wearing towels (tenugui) on their heads, mimicking human festival dancers. They sing, drink sake, and dance the night away. In one famous tale from the Tokushima Prefecture, a man discovers that his cat has been stealing his mother’s kimono to wear at secret nightly gatherings. These dances are not necessarily malicious; unlike the vengeful Bakeneko of the Nabeshima clan legend, the dancing cats represent the trickster nature of the animal kingdom—a secret society mocking human behavior when no one is watching.
Modern Culture: From Woodblocks to Parades
Today, the Bakeneko has leaped from folklore into pop culture. They appear in anime like Mononoke and Studio Ghibli’s The Cat Returns. However, the most vibrant celebration of this legend is the Kagurazaka Bakeneko Festival (Kagurazaka Bakeneko Festival) in Tokyo.
Kagurazaka, historically known for its connection to Natsume Soseki’s novel I Am a Cat, hosts this parade every October, just before Halloween. Unlike traditional solemn matsuri, this is a chaotic, joyous celebration of the strange. Participants cosplay as cats—ranging from cute to grotesque, traditional to cyberpunk. The highlight is the “Dance of the Bakeneko,” where hundreds of attendees dance through the streets, reviving the old woodblock images in living color.
Traveler’s Tips
If you wish to experience the realm of the dancing cats, timing is everything.
- Attend the Festival: Plan your trip to Tokyo for mid-October. The Kagurazaka Bakeneko Festival is open to everyone, including tourists. You do not need to register to watch, but if you want to march, you must dress as a cat.
- Costume Etiquette: The festival takes the “Bakeneko” theme seriously. Simply wearing cat ears might be considered too casual for the parade itself. Many locals rent kimonos and use professional face paint (available on-site) to transform into authentic Edo-period yokai.
- Souvenirs: Look for tenugui (hand towels) featuring dancing cat motifs. They are lightweight, culturally significant, and directly reference the legend of the cat wearing a towel on its head.
Sources & Further Reading
To deepen your understanding of Japanese yokai and the history of Bakeneko, consider exploring the following historical texts and compilations:
- Gazu Hyakki Yagyo (The Illustrated Night Parade of a Hundred Demons) by Toriyama Sekien: An 18th-century bestiary that visualized many yokai we know today.
- Meigetsuki: While primarily a diary by Fujiwara no Teika, early medieval texts often hold the first written records of strange phenomena that evolved into yokai folklore.
- Nihon Shoki: For those interested in the broader context of Japanese mythology and the spiritual significance of animals in early history.