Tengu are legendary creatures originating from Shinto belief in Japan. They are classified as a type of yōkai or kami and have historically been associated with various forms, including birds of prey and monkey deities. Traditionally, these beings are depicted possessing a combination of human, monkey, and avian characteristics.
The defining characteristic of the Tengu in popular imagination is linked to Konoha-Tengu, which is modeled after the Shinto monkey deity Sarutahiko Ōkami. This deity is said to shed light on Heaven and Earth, though some experts theorize that Sarutahiko may have originally been a sun god worshiped in the Ise region before the popularization of Amaterasu.