Gubin 狗賓

Gubin (狗賓), also known as Guhin or Kuhin, are the wild, canine-faced messengers of the mountains who act as the link between human society and the gods of the wilderness.

Meaning and Origin

The name Gubin translates to “Dog Guests” (ku - dog, bin - guest).

They belong to the lower ranks of the Tengu hierarchy. While the high-ranking Daitengu are lordly and remote, the Gubin are more common wood-spirits that interact frequently with humans. They are seen as the “border patrol” of the sacred mountains, ensuring that mortals show the proper respect to the trees, stones, and waters of the wild.

Characteristics

A Gubin is typically described as a humanoid figure with a long, canine snout or the full face of a dog or wolf. They are often dressed in simple monastic robes or the rough clothes of a woodcutter.

They are highly territorial and possessive of the mountains where they live. They aren’t necessarily evil, but they are famously mischievous and can be extremely dangerous if provoked by human greed or disrespect (like cutting down a sacred tree without an offering).

Legends

Legends of the Gubin often center on Kamikakushi (spiriting away). If a child or a woodcutter disappears in the forest, the locals would often say they had been “invited as a guest” by the Gubin.

To prevent mischief, villagers in remote mountain areas like Mino Province used to offer Kubin-mochi (special rice cakes) to the spirits on certain festival days. In the collection Sanshu Kidan, there is a chilling warning: if a traveler takes so much as a single leaf from a valley ruled by a Gubin without permission, they will be followed by a phantom “dog” that will lead them to their death at the mountain’s edge.