In Japanese folklore, the ushi-oni is a monstrous yōkai commonly described as having an ox’s head and a tiger-like body and as living near the sea.
The name combines ushi, meaning ox or cow, with oni, meaning ogre or demon. Regional stories vary considerably: some ushi-oni attack coastal travelers, while others appear in festival performances, paintings, or temple-associated traditions. Their exact appearance is not fixed across Japan.
The ushi-oni is especially associated with western Japan, including folklore from Shimane and Ehime. It is sometimes confused with shachihoko, an architectural ornament with a tiger-headed fish form, but the two are different. Umibōzu is another maritime yōkai, generally described as a bald-headed sea apparition rather than an ox-headed monster.