mini monsters through peep holes

Upstairs at Kitaro’s: Mini monster peepshow

Several yōkai (Japanese folk monsters) inhabit the upstairs closet at the Kitarō Chaya teahouse in Chōfu (Tōkyō). Visible through peepholes in the door, these traditional monsters — which are based on old folktales from across Japan — appear in the popular GeGeGe no Kitarō manga/anime by Shigeru Mizuki, a long-time resident of Chōfu............

Abura-sumashi [+]

The Abura-sumashi (lit. “Oil Presser”), a folk monster from Kumamoto prefecture known for harassing mountain travelers, is believed to be the reincarnated spirit of an oil thief. Long ago, oil was essential for lighting and heating homes, and the divine punishment for people guilty of stealing this valuable commodity — particularly from temples and shrines — was reincarnation as a yōkai. [More]