tengu, in Japanese folklore, a type of mischievous supernatural being, sometimes considered the reincarnated spirit of one who was proud and arrogant in life. Tengu are renowned swordsmen and are said to have taught the military arts to the Minamoto hero Yoshitsune. They live in trees in mountainous areas. A group of tengu is headed by a chief, who is depicted with a prominent nose, angry and threatening expression, dressed in red robes and carrying a feather fan. He is served by a group of retainers called koppa tengu (“leaflet” tengu) who act as his messengers. In popular art they are shown as smaller winged creatures with long red noses or beaklike mouths.