The long-nosed, goblin-like creature in Japanese folklore is the tengu.
Tengu are supernatural beings associated with Japanese folk religion, Shinto, Buddhism, mountains, and forests. Early depictions emphasized avian traits: tengu could resemble birds of prey, winged humanoids, or creatures with beaks. Over time, another form became especially recognizable—the daitengu, a red-faced figure with an exceptionally long human nose.
The long nose is a relatively late development. It likely evolved from the bird-like bill in older representations, with the humanized form becoming prominent around the 14th century. The figure is also linked in popular interpretation to Sarutahiko Ōkami, a Shinto deity described in the Nihon Shoki as having an extraordinarily long nose.
Tengu were once portrayed in Buddhist thought as disruptive demons and omens of war. Folk stories later made them more comic, depicting them as boastful mountain beings who could be tricked by clever humans. They are sometimes confused with oni, but oni are usually horned ogres or demons, while tengu are strongly associated with flight, mountains, martial skill, and supernatural pride. Kitsune are fox spirits, and kappa are water-dwelling yōkai.