In Japanese folklore, the tengu is a birdlike yōkai traditionally associated with mountains and martial arts.
Early depictions of tengu often gave them birdlike features, including wings, claws, and beaks. Later representations commonly show a long red nose instead of a beak. Tengu are linked with remote mountain areas, Buddhist and Shinto sites, swordsmanship, and supernatural skill.
Two major visual types are often discussed: the karasu-tengu, or crow tengu, and the more humanlike daitengu. Their character is complex. They may be portrayed as dangerous tricksters, arrogant spirits, or powerful guardians and teachers.
Tengu are not simply equivalent to Western demons. Their image changed over centuries through interactions among folklore, Buddhism, mountain asceticism, theater, and popular art. They are also distinct from oni, which are usually horned ogre-like beings, and from kitsune, the fox spirits of Japanese tradition.