Basan (legendary bird)

The Basan (波山), alternatively referred to as Basabasa (婆娑婆娑) or Inuhōō (犬鳳凰),[1] is a fowl-like bird with origins stemming from Japanese mythology and folklore and illustrated in Takehara Shunsen's Ehon Hyaku Monogatari and the Gazu Hyakki Yagyō.

Basan inhabits bamboo groves and is entirely nocturnal, found only in the mountains of Iyo Province (伊予国) (present-day Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県)) on the Japanese island of Shikoku (四国).

Even though Basan lives far from human activity, their diet consists of charred wood and embers, so they venture around remote villages at night to eat on the remaining bonfires or charcoal.

[1] It is sometimes depicted with blue hackles and claws, green regimes and sickle feathers, and a red body.

[3] The concept of a fire-breathing chicken isn't entirely original, as the Basan bears similarities to the Cockatrice, a European creature often portrayed as capable of breathing fire and linked to the Basilisk.