The Figures and Meaning of Tengu Semiotic Study of Mythological Creatures in Japanese Folklore

Japan is famous as an advanced manufacturing industrial country as a result of the high rationality in their works, however in daily life, Japanese people still highly believe in the existence of Youkai, mythological creatures. This study examined the figures and meanings of a type of Youkai called tengu, a creature that described as a long nose and fully-red colored body. Library research method used in collecting data for this study which source is mainly the anthology book Nihon Mukashi Banashi 101 published in 2007. Qualitative data in the form of texts or quotations of text and pictures were analysed by using Peirce's semiotic theory of icon, index, and symbol. This study revealed two figure types of Tengu namely daitengu, a tengu with a long nose, and kotengu a tengu that has eagle-like wings. In the Japanese belief system, it is believed that Tengu are mountain guardians, for example, Mount Takao, a place which is believed to be a Tengu habitat. Tengu is as also believed to have objects with supernatural powers such as kakuremino (a cloak) and ha uchiwa (a fan). The way Japanese folklore depict tengu in narrative forms suggest that tengu is real and truly exist in the human world. Although it is not the case in reality, Japanese people are strongly belief in the myth of tengu. Stories about Tengu along with other mythological creatures continue to be passed on from a generation to another in both oral and written forms that indicate that Japanese people do not ever detach themselves from their old belief system. Keywords: tengu, folklore, mythological creature, Japan