Basan

The basan (波山, "wave mountain"), alternately referred to as basabasa (婆娑婆娑, "swirling-swirling") or inuhōō (犬鳳凰 "supreme phoenix") is a fowl-like bird whose origins come from Japanese mythology and folklore and is illustrated in the albums Ehon hyaku monogatari and Gazu hyakki yagyō by Tekehara Shunsen.

He is said to live in the mountains of Iyo province (nowadays Ehime prefecture).

According to the description in the illustration, it looks like a large chicken and exhales a ghostly fire from its beak.

It is described as having a bright red crest and spits out fire of the same hue. The fire is a cold fire, a glow, and it does not burn.

It usually lives in bamboo groves deep in the mountains but sometimes materializes in villages late at night.

When the basan flaps its wings, a strange rustling sound ("basabasa") can be heard. If a man hears the sound and looks outside, the shape of the bird will suddenly disappear.

The idea of a fire-breathing bird is not unique to this tradition as European legends have spawned the cocatrix, associated with the basilisk.