Yokai are not “Japanese ghosts?!“ The 3 main differences of yōkai (demons/devils) and yurei (ghosts)

If you’re a fan of Japanese anime and manga culture, I’m pretty sure you know about “妖怪 yokai.” They are literally everywhere, from 夏目友人帳 to 犬夜叉, ぬらりひょんの孫, and recently 鬼滅の刃! However, when yokai are explained in English, I’ve seen some translations that describe them as “the Japanese ghosts.” To be honest, this translation is not accurate. Japan has its original culture of ghosts called “幽霊 yūlei,” which also appears in many anime and manga too.