Sanjin

meaning mountain deities. Yokai that are related to the hill and mountains.

Sanjin, Yokai

Today, we discuss the yokai aburasumashi. He has distinctive stone-like features. Evidently, he is one of the more recognisable. However, little is known about this mysterious mountain yokai. Nonetheless, we will share our findings based on the stories from west Japan. Together we unveil the secrets of aburasumashi, the greasy oil flinger.

Undoubtedly, Mizuki Shigeru (水木しげる) popularised aburasumashi. He drew the yokai as an old man with a potato-like head. Aburasumashi wore a straw raincoat called mino (蓑) and wandered the moutain passes. Often, he held a walking stick in hand. Interestingly, Mizuki Shigeru mentioned that aburasumashi were once oil thieves. (Oil was an expensive commodity.) Upon death, these bandits were punished and cursed into aburasumashi.

Tales of Showa Period

However, there are earlier accounts of aburasumashi that date back to the early Showa period. In “Amakusa Island Folklore Journal” (天草島民俗誌), there is a story titled “Aburasumashi“. It said,

A grandmother and her grandson hiked along the Kusazumigoe mountain pass. As they walked, grandmother recalled, “Long ago, the oil bottle Sagetan used to come out here.” Immediately, a voice replied.”I still do!”

Again, “Yokai Discussions” (妖怪談義) tells a similar story, but different. Alternatively, the grandmother said, “An oil bottle drops here.” Nonetheless, you hear the same reply, “I still do!” Interestingly, in this compilation, the writer placed aburasumashi with other dropping yokai. For example, tsurube-otoshi, yakanzuru and sagari. As such, Kyōgoku Natsuhiko (京極 夏彦) suggested that these yokai have similar traits. And, aburasumashi is not an actual creature. Instead, it is a phenomena of falling oil bottles.

Conclusion

In fact, Aburasumashi is not either accounts, but both. He is the caretaker of mountain passes. He always reminds those who have forgotten about him. Of course, when he meets unbelievers, aburasumashi becomes more aggressive. For instance, he flings oil bottles at them. Such is the impish nature of aburasumashi, the greasy oil flinger.

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Yokai Details

  • name: aburasumashi ( ah-buh-rah-soo-mah-she )
  • kanji: 油すまし (あぶらすまし)
  • meaning: oil cleanser
  • abilities:
    1. oil attack — release or secrete oil projectiles of various shapes

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Sanjin, Yokai

Okuri-Inu

I’ve heard hundreds of Japanese tales about someone, or something, stalking the oblivious traveller. The feeling of sinister creatures following, and watching, your every step as you trod along a fading hiking path. Today, I’ll share with you one of these stalking yokai that you may have encountered but might not even know it.

Okuri-Inu is a dog-like yokai that is commonly known to follow people travelling on mountain paths when the sun is down. Literally named “escorting dog”, the ghostly creature will follow you until you leave the forest. But if, by circumstance, you were to trip and fall, the supernatural dog will pounce on you and devour.

Those who have seen the Okuri-Inu detailed it as covered in shadowy fur with glowing red eyes. The canine creature is usually seen on a mountain ridge above, surrounded by a foggy mist. Most accounts only describe the feel of constant scrutiny and surrounded by a thick dark mist. As such, traditional wisdom dictates that, if  you think you are being stalked by Okuri-Inu, it is best to have a short rest (or pretend to be having one) until the feeling passes. It is said that the yokai will eventual leave you for another traveller to “escort”.

But depending on the region where the stories are from, the Okuri-Inu behave differently and, sometimes, called by another name.  Stories from Chiidagata District of Nagano, identify them as Yama-Inu and they are portrayed as the forest guardians that protect travellers from harm such as wolves, bears, bandits and, even, other yokai.

Same Same But Different

Tales from Central Japan, has a similar yokai, which is more wolf than dog, exhibits wolf-like behaviours. Named Okuri-Okami, this malicious yokai is said to attack and pounce on lone travellers when opportunity is given. The wolf-yokai will pounce on the individual’s head multiple times, as described in the Wakan Sansai Zue story. Based on the dissimilarities in the appearance and behaviour, I believe that these could be a sub-species of the Okuri-Inu, or an entirely new breed.

But do not think you are safe in the bright city of Tokyo. Recently, there are urban accounts about a similar ghostly dog stalking individuals in the early hours when everyone is still asleep. Are these just hungry stray dogs? Can the ramblings of drunken office workers be trusted? Or have the Okuri-Inu moved to the cities because they lost their natural habitat? Maybe you can share your ghostly experience.

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Yokai Details

  • name: okuri-inu (oh-koo-ree-ee-noo)
  • kanji: 送り犬 (ばけねこ)
  • meaning: escorting dog
  • abilities:
    1. mist form — able to change to gaseous form of any shape and size
    2. hyper speed — move from one place to another at high speed
    3. hyper senses — possess acute sense of smell and hearing
Sanjin, Yokai

Yamabiko

To this day, I am conflicted about today’s yokai. I mean, as a small kawaii critter, it looks like a dog-monkey pokémon. I have always seen it in Toriyama Sekien’s illustrated series and it is as cute as a new-born puppy. On the other hand, there are accounts of experienced hikers who claim that they got terribly lost in the mountainous forests because of the yokai. These accounts make me hope and pray to never encounter the yamabiko.

The yamabiko is a sound-type yokai that will repeat anyone or anything it has heard before. Even though the name is written as ‘mountain boy’, the way its read or pronounced means ‘echo’. The yokai is able to echo any sound, even after prolonged periods of time.

Those who were lost in the forests claim to hear whispers of their doppelgänger voices echoing their words, mocking them constantly. These disembodied whispers seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. One of them even heard a child singing an old fold songs.

Forgotten Tale

An old monk claimed to have found himself lost in the misty morning when he was younger. Hours later, he heard the sound of a running brook and decided to follow it. But instead of reaching a stream, he was standing in the middle of a thick, withered bamboo forest.

Recalling his grandmother’s yokai stories, he realised that it was the call of the yamabiko. The young man immediately turned away from the gushing sound and walked while chanted a mantra aloud. Minutes later the sound stopped and he found himself on a hunter’s trail.

Such are the stories of those rescued, but what of those who weren’t. How many lives have the yamabiko claimed? We will never know.

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Yokai Details

  • name: yamabiko (yah-mah-bee-koh)
  • kanji: 山彦 (やまびこ)
  • meaning: echo of the mountains
  • abilities:
    1. sound mimicry — able to replicate any sound, projected from any source
    2. sound dampening — remove sound from an area