nekomata; fork-tailed cat yōkai
A mythical two-tailed cat yōkai from Japanese folklore, often depicted as a supernatural creature with the ability to walk on its hind legs and speak human language.
A nekomata is a cat yōkai with a split tail.
In old tales, stories of nekomata deceiving people often appear.
giant mountain beast
Rare alternate meaning referring to a giant beast said to inhabit the mountains, distinct from the cat yōkai.
In some legends, nekomata is also described as a giant beast living in the mountains.
Standard kanji spelling for the mythical two-tailed cat.
Alternate kanji spelling using 股 (fork); rare.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less common but still encountered.
The word 猫又 (nekomata) is a compound of 猫 (neko, 'cat') and 又 (mata, 'fork' or 'crotch'), referring to the forked tail. The exact origin of the myth is uncertain, but it likely developed from folk beliefs about long-lived cats gaining supernatural powers.